F3: Piquet - FIA standing between me and Macau GP

Formula E champion Nelson Piquet Jr. believes the FIA is the main barrier blocking his return to Formula 3's Macau Grand Prix showpiece.

Piquet was blocked from making a shock comeback in F3 last month in the European series' round at Pau because the FIA deemed his participation would be "against the spirit of the championship."

The Brazilian's entry with Carlin was a precursor to racing in Macau at the end of the year, and Piquet is concerned by the FIA's admission it could veto entries for the Far East classic. He contested the race twice, in 2003 and '04, the latter as the British Formula 3 champion, racing from 27th on the grid after an accident in the qualification race to finish 10th.

"I can do an F3 race [to qualify] very easily," he said. "After what happened I got thousands of invitations to F3 races anywhere, including Australia and Brazil.

"The issue isn't that, the issue is the FIA have said they might not let me race in Macau. That's the main problem.

"Pau worked perfectly because it was a track I always wanted to race, and after I drove the simulator at Carlin I fell in love even more with the track. And it would qualify me for Macau, which is a race I've always wanted to do again."

Piquet also reiterated it was not his intention to devalue the European F3 Championship by racing in Pau.

"I didn't know what [reaction] to expect," he said. "I was hoping people would be on my side because they want to see different things.

"It's not the usual everyday, 'How's Nelson going to do in Pau? Is he going to get beat by the kids, is he going to win? What it's going to be?'

"I wasn't trying to do anything bad. I was just trying to race."

Originally on Autosport.com