Flavio Briatore resigns

[Creag]

Renault's F1 boss Flavio Briatore resigns as team says it will not dispute Singapore race-fixing allegations.

Breaking news on CNN.

Not good news for the lambasted Renault team.

 

[AMG133]

eish

That short Brazilian taddle tale really did it now

 

[Shake&Bake]

BBC, iTV, it's everywhere with more to come.
This is going to be big! :erm:

 

[Ou grote]

I don't get why they needed to do something like that.

 

[Shake&Bake]

I don't get why they needed to do something like that.

It makes me believe that they (Flavio and Symonds) are accountable and Renault gave them the boot. Also not contesting would hopefully buy Renault clemency from the FIA and Mosely.
Thus hoping that they'd get a few slaps on the wrist and not thrown out.

Those hearings will likely never be made public and a much heftier fine that 80million GBP is going to handed down.

Doesn't seem that Renault is in anyway trying to protect Flavio and Symonds from this debacle, just merely pushing them aside so that they can try and clean up their mess.

 

[milomak]

what Shake said. basically renault probably hoping for fine and suspended sentence.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Breaking news on CNN.

Not good news for the lambasted Renault team.

All the talk of Piquet being the crook and threatening to sue him... what happened to all that?

 

[DJ...]

Good riddance, I say.

But if Renault stay, doesn't it make life a little difficult for the BMW/Sauber team under new Arab ownership - they have a reserve spot for next season and were hoping for at least one team to pull out of next year's season. I know there's talk of expanding the competition to 14 teams, but that's all hot air so far and there are quite a few confirmed new-comers next season already...

 

[HapticSimian]

WOOT!

Cheers you womanising barsteward! Now, be a good boy, and take Bernie and Max with you!

EDIT - Official Statement

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

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.

Won't be at all surprised if the reinstate Piquet in an attempt to save face... :erm:

 

[killadoob]

Good riddance, I say.

But if Renault stay, doesn't it make life a little difficult for the BMW/Sauber team under new Arab ownership - they have a reserve spot for next season and were hoping for at least one team to pull out of next year's season. I know there's talk of expanding the competition to 14 teams, but that's all hot air so far and there are quite a few confirmed new-comers next season already...

Why would it make life difficult though? it is not like renault were going to be kicked out.

If mclaren was not kicked out for stealing from ferrari why would renault get kicked out? so their life is not more difficult because of this.

 

[Willie Trombone]

eish

That short Brazilian taddle tale really did it now

Actually Flav and Symonds look guilty - the whole championship could have looked different...

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/16092009/58/briatore-renault-admit-charge.html

Managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds have left Renault over race-fixing allegations, which the team will not contest.

Renault have been the subject of an investigation by the governing FIA regarding allegations that former driver Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed in the Singapore Grand Prix last season.

The incident in the night race enabled team-mate Fernando Alonso to win as he was favourably placed for safety-car conditions.

Brazilian Piquet Jr, who was recently sacked from his seat, and his three-times world champion father Nelson Piquet Sr had accused Renault of forcing him into the act.

Reports on Tuesday suggested Symonds, who deals with trackside operations, had been offered immunity from punishment in exchange for full disclosure of what happened.

"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix," Renault stated.

"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."

Prior to the exit of flamboyant Italian Briatore and Englishman Symonds, Renault had accused the Piquets of blackmail and announced they were launching criminal proceedings against them.

Renault will still face the FIA's World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris on September 21, as the charge was levelled against the team and not any one individual.

Just looked at the radio transcripts in the link above - nothing in there that I can see that may suggest anything untoward...

 

[DJ...]

Why would it make life difficult though? it is not like renault were going to be kicked out.

If mclaren was not kicked out for stealing from ferrari why would renault get kicked out? so their life is not more difficult because of this.

Apparently they were going to be kicked out if reports were accurate. I've read about the possibility of seeing one or two teams leave after this season. Any predictions about who they might be?

Who's taking over at Renault?

 

[HapticSimian]

Prediction - new driver: Nelson Piquet jr. New team manager: Nelson Piquet sr. To be announced September 22nd

Also, both to mysteriously die in unrelated accidents the following week, which will be suspected as having been hits ordered by Briatore. :erm:

 

[killadoob]

I think all teams but bmw are confirmed for next season, i read lotus is coming back possibly and a couple others. Although i remember something about force india possibly pulling out.

 

[cr@zydude]

Well looks like I was wrong about Nelson jr. I thought he was just being sour about being dropped. This could be bad for F1!

While I know new teams are coming in, they are mostly 'private' teams. I think that it's nice to have manufacturer teams in the sport. I hope Briatore's resignation saves Renualt's place on the grid.

 

[milomak]

Although i remember something about force india possibly pulling out.

Raelly? Where?

 

[DJ...]

I think all teams but bmw are confirmed for next season, i read lotus is coming back possibly and a couple others. Although i remember something about force india possibly pulling out.

Lotus F1 are confirmed. And there's an American team called American F1 (iirc) also confirmed. Not sure the names of the other 2 and I'm not inclined to google right now - rather busy. Educate me...

 

[killadoob]

Really? Where?

Read it on formula1.com awhile back, may have just been speculation, that second place and 4 place would have put big money back into force india.

Lotus aim to be the best of the four new teams entering Formula One racing next season. That is according to technical director Mike Gascoyne, following Tuesday’s confirmation of Lotus’s entry in the 2010 championship.

The new team, which will see the Lotus name return to the grid for the first time since 1994, is a partnership between the Malaysian...

I am not sure who the others team are as i only really check out f1.com for news.

 

[hoegh]

can this whole ordeal not be classified as "team orders" granted the team order to crash your car is a bit rough but technically it is still a team order??

 

[Willie Trombone]

i.e. the team should take the fall - yes, it's team orders afaik. Unless Piquet did it out of the goodness of his heart or in an attempt to be a hero and keep his seat while not under compulsion to crash...
either way, even the suggestion makes it no different from cheating in any other sport.