Piquet: Jr needs GP2 title to enter F1

Piquet Jr only finished eighth in the inaugural GP2 season, after taking one win and five podium finishes - but also retiring in a third of the races held.

The 20-year-old Brazilian is considered one of the upcoming talents making his way through the lower formulae, winning the British Formula Three title in 2004.

Piquet's rival and GP2 champion Nico Rosberg - also a son of a former Formula One champion - will make his Formula One debut with Williams this season, while GP2 runner-up Heikki Kovalainen will be Renault F1's test and reserve driver.

Father Piquet said his son had the opportunity to become a Formula One test driver - but not on conditions that are acceptable to the former F1 champion.

"Obviously I'd like to see him in F1 but he comes from a disastrous GP2 season and the situation is complex," Piquet Sr. said of his son in an interview with Autosprint magazine.

"We have spoken with various teams to sign a test driver contract, but the conditions they propose are unacceptable.

"They don't guarantee any length [of running] in kilometres, they never speak about driving, but only demand the availability of the driver. On top of that, they demand a six-year contract length without any promise on their side of letting him race or drive.

"With these premises, I told everyone to piss off. Now Nelsinho needs to think about winning in order to get the opportunity to enter a team directly as race driver. It's the only serious and realistic way I know to get in F1."