Ex-Renault F1 driver and occasional deliberate crasher Nelson Piquet Jr has apologised for the "unfortunate episode" of the whole Fixgate fiasco, after he was awarded damages from his former team earlier this month.
Last week, the Renault team were forced to issue their own public apology to Piquet Jr and his father Nelson, after being found guilty of libel for claims they made regarding the Piquets attempting to 'blackmail' the team.
Piquet Jr blew the lid off the tin of madness that was Fixgate 2009 when he revealed that he had been ordered to deliberately crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, triggering a safety car.
He was not charged over the incident, after agreeing to provide the FIA with details of the incident in return for immunity from punishment, but he has struggled to rebuild his racing career since then.
But after announcing a deal to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for 2011, Piquet told Brazil's Globo Esporte that he was sorry for his part in the Fixgate mess.
"It was an unfortunate episode that is over now," he said this week, "I made a mistake, I was immature, I apologise."
He added that: "It happens to many young people who get to a position in a global sport and they're not prepared.
"What I can guarantee is that it will never happen again. I am restarting my career, getting a second chance, and I think I deserve it. I've already proved to everyone that I am a winning driver."
With the Brazilian now having given up on ever returning to Formula One, he explained that his target now was to establish himself in the NASCAR championships.
"I want to be one of the first Brazilians to do a full season and to be the first Brazilian champion," he optimistically bellowed.
"It's great to open the door for other Brazilians coming to America. There are already many Brazilians racing in Europe and worldwide."
He will compete with the Kevin Harvick Inc team in the Truck Series for 2011, and says that his ultimate aim is to move into the premier NASCAR Sprint Cup series in the future.
"Our plan is to be in the main category in five to six years," he shouted, "We don't really know how quickly it will evolve, it could be a little more (time) or a little less.
"But I don't want to get to the main category unprepared to compete for the title."
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