Team principal Bernie Ecclestone was under pressure from the team's title sponsor, Parmalat, to defend Piquet's championship, and opted to race with the Cosworth-powered BT49 chassis at the Brazilian Grand Prix, which Piquet won but was later disqualified for circumventing the minimum weight limit by running "water-cooled brakes".
O director do equipo Bernie Ecclestone foi presionado polo patrocinador do equipo, Parmalat, para defender o campionato de Piquet, e optou por correr co chasis BT49 con motor Cosworth no Gran Premio do Brasil, que Piquet gañou, pero máis tarde foi descualificado por eludir o límite mínimo de peso ao correr con "freos refrixerados por auga".