KEY POINTS:
PARIS - Now that he is a Formula One driver himself, Brazilian Nelson Piquet junior is keen to shed the tag that distinguished him from his father, namesake and triple world champion.
"I'm a grown-up now," the 22-year-old said at the launch of his Renault team's
R28 car today.
He has no problems with the Portuguese diminutive `Nelsinho' but otherwise the rookie teammate to Spain's double world champion Fernando Alonso wants to be his own man, a different Nelson Piquet.
Like Williams driver Nico Rosberg, son of 1982 world champion Keke, Piquet has grown used to questions about and comparisons with his father.
The well known name has not only opened doors, however.
"My whole career I had to always push myself a little bit more, show that I wasn't there because of my father's name or anything like that," he said.
"So that was good. There was more motivation for me to win more races, to win championships and to do my job.
"I think now in Formula One it is a different story. The name doesn't make any difference now."
A test driver for Renault last season, and runnerup to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton in the GP2 support series in 2006, Piquet has plenty to learn as he follows in his father's footsteps.
Piquet senior, a world champion with Brabham in 1981 and 1983 and Williams in 1987, bankrolled the early stages of his son's career but has backed off as the youngster edged closer to the biggest stage of all.
"He helped me a lot in Formula Three but after that, in GP2, he was away already," he said.
"The biggest way he helped me was more in administration, organising my life. He gave me a few tips on tax and things like that."
Unlike other drivers, such as Hamilton whose father was a constant presence last year, Piquet prefers to keep his family at arms' length.
"I prefer to keep more of a distance and just do my driving. The circuit is our office and nobody brings their parents to the office," he said.
As far as his work is concerned, this season will be mainly one of learning from the acknowledged master Alonso and hoping to pick up as many points as possible.
"I have never had a proper teammate in my career, nobody I could compare myself to in order to improve," Piquet said.
"I know that I have a lot to learn from Fernando ... he is the perfect benchmark."
Team boss Flavio Briatore said the Brazilian had everything to look forward to.
"He is very smart, very intelligent. He is the future for us as well, he is 22 and very young - and in a fantastic position to learn from Fernando. Plus if he is quick, he can win races."
- REUTERS