Renault, Piquet deny negative comments
By the Italian and Spanish press, and based on an interview with the British magazine F1 Racing, the 23-year-old Brazilian was quoted as musing negatively about his status alongside teammate Fernando Alonso and boss Flavio Briatore.
"The comments are completely distorted as a result of an extremely poor translation from English and were reported out of context as Nelson responded in a light-hearted manner to irreverent questions submitted by the magazine's fans," a statement issued by the French team said.
Piquet himself said he is "a very happy member" of the team, insisting his relationships with Alonso and Briatore are "excellent".
"I'm amazed how my words have been completely misrepresented by the press. It's a pity that I have to find myself clarifying what I said.
"I've never had any reason to believe that I was treated in an unfair way and I have no doubt about the team's support," he added.