Nelson Piquet prized as a good player but not thought sufficiently exciting for the sport, which led him to devote his career to motor racing. Piquet dropped out of a University two years into an engineering course in 1974. He was subsequently employed in a garage to finance his career, since he had no financial support from his family Upon returning to Brazil, Piquet and three friends brought a 20 hp cart and participated in Brazilian go-karting (1971 and 1972 national champion) and in the local Formula Super Vee 1976 championship, on the advice of Emerson Fittipaldi, the first Brazilian Formula One
Formula One drivers from Brazil to his third title. Piquet moved to Lotus for two seasons before finishing his F1 career with Benetton with whom he achieved three victories. After his retirement Piquet developed a successful satellite navigation company which helped him finance the career of his son, Nelson Piquet, Jr. and now finances the career of the younger Pedro Piquet. Emerson Fittipaldi spent ten years in Formula One and won the title in 1972 and 1974. The "Autosport" driver survey placed Fittipaldi in 12th place, one ahead of Piquet. Fittipaldi joined Formula One in 1970 with Lotus and achieved one victory over the first