SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Renault test driver Nelson Piquet Jr. is confident that he will get a full-time ride in Formula One next year.

"Someone will give me a chance to prove that I have what it takes to be a good Formula One driver," the 22-year-old son of three-time Formula One champion Nelson Piquet told the Jornal da Tarde newspaper.

Rumors that Fernando Alonso may return to Renault, doesn't concern Piquet Jr.

"I am not worried about what others are doing or will be doing," he said. "All I want is my chance, and if Alonso does not come to Renault, there will always be someone else who wants him."

It is no secret that Renault chief Flavio Briatore would like to see Alonso return.

"Fernando has a contract with another team for 2008," Briatore said earlier this week. "I have said before that if he was free we would be happy to have him back at Renault."

Alonso won the 2005 and 2006 Formula One titles driving for Renault.

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NEW SURFACE PRAISED: Most of the Formula One drivers in Sao Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix had high praise for the recently resurfaced 4.3-kilometer (2.6-mile) Interlagos track.

The repaving was done to smooth the surface and ease complaints from drivers about the bumpy asphalt.

"I consider that the new track surface is an improvement and I think they have done a really good job with it," said Ferrari's Felipe Massa, last year's winner in Brazil.

Giancarlo Fisischella of the Renault team echoed similar thoughts.

"They have done a fantastic job with the resurfacing work, and the circuit is much better to drive now," he said.

The new asphalt used in Interlagos is similar to the one already in place at the Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, said Luis Ernesto Morales, the track's chief engineer.

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WEATHER FORECAST: The dark clouds and constant drizzle that have prevailed at the Interlagos race track earlier this week should disappear by Sunday when the Brazilian Grand Prix - the season-ending Formula One race - is held in Sao Paulo.

According to a local meteorological forecasting service, race day will have sunny skies and temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).

There may be some cloudiness during the day but the chance of rain during the race is very small, forecasting service Climatempo Meteorologia said.

Similar weather conditions are forecast for Saturday's qualifying session, when grid positions will be determined.\

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FLY ME TO THE TRACK: Unwilling to face the traffic-jammed avenues and highways leading to Sao Paulo's Interlagos track, at least 1,000 wealthy race fans will fly to the Brazilian Grand Prix on helicopters, local media reported.

To get to the track on Sunday, the fans will pay the equivalent of US$500 (euro350) for a roundtrip, eight-minute helicopter ride to and from a luxury shopping mall about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away.

On race day, the trip to the track could take at least one hour by car. Using the public transportation system it could take almost as long and cost less than US$2 (euro1.50) each way.

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FAN CLUB: Among the crowd of more than 60,000 expected to fill Sao Paulo's Interlagos track for Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix are 72 loyal fans of defending champion Fernando Alonso.

The group that crossed the Atlantic to cheer their idol was joined by a group of about 20 Brazilians belonging to Alonso's local Brazilian fan club.

"We could have brought more fans, but the air fare was too expensive," Manuel Robredo, one of the leaders of the Spanish fan club told the Agencia Estado news agency.

He said each fan paid almost euro1,700 (US$2,430) for air fare, tickets for the race and lodging.