Piquet Jr set to return to the F1 grid in 2010?

Spanish website motor21.com has reported that the management team for Nelson Piquet Jr have reached agreement with Campos-Meta F1, and that the 24-year-old former Renault F1 driver will join Bruno Senna in the team for the start of the 2010 season.

The website claimed that Piquet’s seat followed the purchase of a 15% stake in the Campos-Meta team by his father, and the sponsorship of several Brazilian companies. The Brazilian’s family money was apparently greater than that offered by the Russian Vitaly Petrov and Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, who were also in negotiations for the second seat beside Bruno Senna.

Piquet was dismissed by Renault last summer for the poor results during the first part of the 2009 season, which led the Brazilian to uncover the crash-gate scandal that resulted in a life-time penalty for Flavio Briatore. Despite the damage to Piquet’s reputation from the affair he still hopes to return to F1.

However December 28th is the Spanish holiday known as ‘Day of the Innocents’, which is similar to April Fools’ Day, and Motors21 have now confirmed that this was a story cooked up by their editorial team.

Although the team have been in discussions with Piquet Jr, they have said that they would prefer a driver with more success and experience in Formula 1.