Flavio Briatore, the Renault Formula 1 boss, has vacated his position after the company decided not to contest charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Executive director of engineering Pat Symonds has also left the team.
Renault have been summoned by the FIA, the Formula 1 governing body, after Nelson Piquet Jr claimed he had been asked to crash to help team-mate Fernando Alonso’s race.
Renault have been accused of conspiring with Nelson Piquet Jr to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, the aim being to cause the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso.
Piquet crashed in Singapore two laps after Alonso had come in for a routine pit stop, which meant that when race officials sent out the safety car to clear up the debris from Piquet’s car, Alonso was the only front-runner not having to stop for fuel and tyres. Alonso went on to take the chequered flag and claim his first victory in two years.
At the time of the incident, Nelson Piquet Jr claimed the crash was due to ‘error’, but following a falling-out with Flavio Briatore and his subsequent dismissal from the Renault team, Piquet changed his story and made the accusations of ‘foul play’.
On the face of it, the decision by Renault not to contest the charges does seem to be an admission of guilt. One is well used to ‘team orders’ and the like, but asking drivers to deliberately crash is a totally different kettle of fish.
The FIA could still impose sanctions if Renault are found guilty, including excluding the team from the championship, although that must be considered unlikely given the departure of the two people Piquet claimed were responsible.