Renault F1 engineering head Pat Symonds reckons that it will only take one decent result for
Nelson Piquet Jr to 'turn the corner' in his
Formula One career, despite the Brazilian struggling to make the grade so far this season.
Referring to the similar situation in which Piquet's predecessor at Enstone,
Heikki Kovalainen, found himself in during the 2007 campaign, Symonds reckons that it is merely a matter of boosting the beleaguered Brazilian's confidence.
Although Friday's practice sessions in Montreal did not bode well for the weekend ahead, Symonds pointed to Kovalainen's similar travails at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve - and the surprising outcome of the Canadian Grand Prix a year ago - as a reason for Piquet to keep his head together despite being under fire from all quarters after failing to live up to the reputation that he brought to the grid in Melbourne.
The Brazilian, a rival of
Lewis Hamilton's in the second season of GP2, has so far failed to score a single point in 2007, and has struggled to make the cut in the first phase of qualifying on more than one occasion. Kovalainen, meanwhile, similarly struggled on his elevation from the role of test driver and was under pressure to perform as the F1 circus arrived in Canada. Even after qualifying, the Finn did not appear to be on course to salvage his seat, but produced a fourth place finish from the back of the grid and was a different character after that.
"I think we need to support [Nelson]," Symonds said, in contrast to those calling for the Brazilian's head, "It is very easy to be critical of drivers in a situation like that and I think people have very short memories in motor racing.
