Renault to answer 'Race Fix' questions.

[Largest of Als]

Renault has been summoned to appear before the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council later this month to answer charges that it sought to fix the result of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

The governing body has been investigating allegations that the Enstone-based team instructed its driver Nelson Piquet Jr to crash during Formula 1’s first ever night race in order to help his team-mate Fernando Alonso win.

Having found sufficient evidence to warrant taking the matter further, the FIA announced on Friday that it had asked Renault team representatives to attend an extraordinary meeting of its World Motor Sport Council on Monday 21 September.

“The team representatives have been called to answer charges, including a breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, that the team conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso,” the FIA said in a statement.

Seems a little far fetched if you ask me... but who knows?


Al

[Largest of Als]

Oops!

Renault F1 has parted company with team boss Flavio Briatore and engineering chief Pat Symonds over the race-fixing allegations made by its former driver Nelson Piquet Jr.

Piquet has accused Briatore and Symonds of asking him to help secure victory for his then team-mate Fernando Alonso in last year’s Singapore Grand Prix by crashing and triggering a safety car period that played perfectly into Alonso’s hands.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Renault said it would not contest that charge when it appears before the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council next Monday.

It added that Briatore and Symonds had now left the team.

“The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix,” the statement said.

“It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore, and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.

“Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009, the team will not make any further comment.”

Al

[djtoast]

bloody hell!

wonder how it'll be dealt with legally?

[Largest of Als]

And here's the anser to that..

Renault has been handed a two-year suspended ban from Formula 1 competition after admitting to the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council that it did order Nelson Piquet Jr to crash in last year’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Following a 90-minute hearing in Paris on Monday, the WMSC announced that it considered the team’s race-fixing plot to be of “unparalleled severity” which warranted permanent disqualification from the sport.

However after taking into account Renault’s unreserved apology and the fact it had parted company with Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds, the court had decided to suspended the disqualification for two years - a penalty that will only be activited if it commits a crime of similar severity again.

The team’s former managing director Flavio Briatore has been handed a life-time ban from all FIA sanctioned events, while ex-engineering chief Pat Symonds banned for five years.

So, Flavio cant go anywhere near any sort professional motorsport ever again.. not that anyone would want him after this.

Still don't believe that only two of them were involved, the entire crew must be under suspicion, but again, how many sponsors will want to have anything to do with Renault after this I wonder?


Al

[triggerhappy]

a penalty that will only be activited if it commits a crime of similar severity again.

To go from 'warranting permanent disqualification' to 'since they've said sorry they'll be suspended for two years, but only if they do it again' seems a bit cowardly to me.

[Jaemi]

I kinda think a bigger deal was made out of this than was really needed.
However, the FIA seem to have bottled it a bit. Let's be honest though, with teams dropping out like flies and money becoming ever tighter, they couldn't do without Renault in there.

[poprock]

Last I read, Singapore were asking for Flav to be extradited there to face criminal charges.

A deliberate crash, however controlled the driver may think it is, endangers the lives of participants, marshals and spectators. It’s unforgivable in professional motorsport. A suspended sentence and no talk of a fine makes a mockery of any safety legislation the FIA claim to have in place.

[Largest of Als]

Originally Posted by poprock

Last I read, Singapore were asking for Flav to be extradited there to face criminal charges.

Haven't heard that one yet.. it's a definite possibility...

A deliberate crash, however controlled the driver may think it is, endangers the lives of participants, marshals and spectators. It’s unforgivable in professional motorsport. A suspended sentence and no talk of a fine makes a mockery of any safety legislation the FIA claim to have in place.

Aye.. indeed..


Al

[Largest of Als]

If anyone is interested enough to read thru it.. here's the FIA investigation dossier in full..

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre...0909_docs.aspx


Al