Piquet slams 'rubbish' GP Masters

Piquet retired from Formula One at the end of the 1991 season, and in 1992 suffered leg injuries in practice for the Indianapolis 500.

The 53-year-old outspoken Brazilian is potentially a perfect candidate for the new GP Masters series, which features retired Grand Prix drivers over the age of 45.

The inaugural race at South Africa last November was won by Piquet's arch rival from his Formula One days, Nigel Mansell. Second place went to Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi.

But Piquet has belittled his former colleagues for taking part in the event and claimed the only motivation to race in GP Masters is financial.

"I would never do anything like that, because my time as a professional race driver is gone and I have my job," Piquet told Italy's Autosprint magazine.

"That's a series for people with no money who are hoping to gain it back somehow. Beyond that, I don't see any reason to race in such rubbish. After having raced in F1, you go back at 50 years of age at the wheel of a car that looks like it? No way."

Piquet added that he has no financial incentives to go back to racing, the Brazilian claiming his satellite tracking company has made him richer than he ever was.

"My company has grown immensely: 1,025 employees, with a turnover of over 200 million dollars," Piquet said.

"Personally, I'm making a lot more than when I used to race in F1. In the next five years, I will gain double what Michael Schumacher has made in his entire career."