Grapevine: Piquet Lands F3000 Test and Targets F1

Nelson Piquet Jnr is to make the step up to Formula 3000 when he tests later this year and is also hopeful of landing a chance to drive a Formula One car with BMW-Williams.

Brazilian Piquet, whose father won the Formula One World Championship three times, impressed in his first season in the British Formula Three Championship this year as he finished third overall with his own Piquet Sports team.

The 18-year-old will test with F3000 team Arden, who won the title this year, at Jerez on November 7 and is hopeful of securing a deal for a one-off drive for Williams, who his father won the Formula One title with in 1987.

"We've been talking to Frank Williams' son Jonathan and we have a close relationship with him so it is possible something will happen," Felipe Vargos, team boss of Piquet Sports, told Motorsport News.

Piquet added: "This is a great chance to sample a F3000 car and learn the Jerez circuit because it's an important Formula One testing circuit."

Matthias Lauda, the son of former champion Niki, will also test for Arden at Imola on October 24-25 as he looks to join the F3000 championship from the Nissan Lights Series.