From F1 to Indy: a crossover of diverse fortunes

Nelson Piquet

He’d been warned that it was dangerous. After a brilliant career in F1 highlighted by three world titles, he had nothing to gain by challenging concrete walls at 350kph in the American Heartland. But Nelson undoubtedly felt he had some unfinished business to attend to. Boy did he get it wrong! In 1992 he slammed his team Menard Lola into the wall. The Brazilian was pulled out of the pile of mangled carbon and thought was even given to a possible amputation. However, the next year, Piquet was back (right photo) and quite racy. And so what if his engine seized up after 38 laps.