Nelson Piquet Jr is confident that his second season in Formula One will be "easier" after a trying debut campaign.
MHatched against double World Champion Fernando Alonso in his first season in F1, Piquet Jr struggled to keep up with the Spaniard, often finding himself well behind his team-mate. This sparked rumours that Renault were ready to sack Piquet Jr after less than half a season.
However, three points-scoring finishes in the four mid-season races, which included a podium finish at the German GP, went a long way towards securing the Brazilian's future.
Now gearing up for his second season in Formula One, the Renault driver is hoping that he learnt all the hard lessons last year.
"I know this season will be easier for me as I'm feeling much more comfortable in the team, I know the circuits and how to approach a grand prix weekend," he told Renault's website.
"I'm sure it's going to be much easier for me to handle everything. I'm going to start 2009 where I left off in 2008 and determined to improve race by race."
As for his goal for 2009, Piquet Jr is keen to match what his team-mate Alonso did this past year, which was claim fifth place in the Drivers' standings for Renault.
"I would love to be in the top five in the Drivers' Championship," he said. "That would be excellent, but obviously it's going to depend on what the car is like.
Source:
http://www.planetf1.com