FIA statement
Monday 21 September 2009 15:53, UK
Details of the World Motor Sport Council's decision to hand Renault a two-year suspended ban.
On Monday, Renault were given a suspended permanent disqualification from Formula One after motor sport's governing body ruled on Nelson Piquet Jr's crash during last year's Singapore Grand Prix. Piquet Jr claimed in sworn statements to the FIA he was ordered to crash his car a few hours prior to the race, to aid the cause of then team-mate Fernando Alonso. Here is the full statement by the World Motor Sport Council: At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council held in Paris on 21 September 2009, the ING Renault F1 team ("Renault F1") admitted that the team had conspired with its driver Nelson Piquet Jr to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in breach of the International Sporting Code and F1 Sporting Regulations. Renault F1 stated at the meeting that it had conducted a detailed internal investigation, which found that: (i) Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr had conspired to cause the crash; and (ii) no other team member was involved in the conspiracy. The FIA has conducted its own detailed investigation and its findings correspond with those of Renault F1. At the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, Renault F1 made the following points in mitigation: - it had accepted, at the earliest practicable opportunity, that it committed the offences with which it was charged and co-operated fully with the FIA's investigation; - it had confirmed that Mr Briatore and Mr Symonds were involved in the conspiracy and ensured that they left the team; - it apologised unreservedly to the FIA and to the sport for the harm caused by its actions; - it committed to paying the costs incurred by the FIA in its investigation; - Renault (the parent company, as opposed to Renault F1) committed to making a significant contribution to FIA safety-related projects. Nelson Piquet Jr also apologised unreservedly to the World Motor Sport Council for his part in the conspiracy. The following decision was taken: The World Motor Sport Council finds that Renault F1 team members Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr conspired to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. The World Motor Sport Council therefore finds Renault F1, which, under article 123 of the International Sporting Code, is responsible for the actions of its employees, in breach of Articles 151(c) and point 2(c) of Chapter IV of Appendix L of the Code, and Articles 3.2, 30.3 and/or 39.1 of the Formula One Sporting Regulations. The World Motor Sport Council considers Renault F1's breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity. Renault F1's breaches not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr himself. The World Motor Sport Council considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, having regard to the points in mitigation mentioned above and in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1's disqualification until the end of the 2011 season. The World Motor Sport Council will only activate this disqualification if Renault F1 is found guilty of a comparable breach during that time. In addition the World Motor Sport Council
