Renault F1 controversy

T

taco

250+ Posts
pretty interesting and appears to be true....


If any further proof is needed that there's a definite soap opera aspect to the behind-the-scenes Formula 1 world, this is it. A recent announcement made by ING Renault F1 has confirmed that its managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds have left the racing team. The announcement follows weeks of reports that recently-fired Renault F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. followed team orders in deliberately crashing at the Singapore Grand Prix last year.

The allegations, reportedly started by Piquet Jr. himself, accuse Briatore and Symonds of conspiring with Piquet to cause a specific crash scenario that would bring out a safety car during the course of the race, tying in to a race strategy that saw Renault F1 teammate Fernando Alonso win the race. Alonso, starting from well back in the grid due to a fuel pump failure in qualifying, made a quick pit stop just before the crash brought out the safety car, bunching up the field and allowing Alonso to shoot to the race lead.


A formal hearing is scheduled for next week to determine the validity of Piquet's allegations, and Renault has now stated that it will "not dispute" the race-fixing claims. Previously, Briatore threatened legal action against Piquet and his three-time world champion father, Nelson Sr., for blackmail. Nelson Sr. has been no stranger to controversy himself, having a reputation for freely expressing his opinions in the past - sometimes to his detriment, according to Briatore.

Piquet Jr., by virtue of his "whistleblower" position in the controversy, will reportedly be granted immunity from FIA discipline. Symonds has been offered the same for his full disclosure - it is currently unknown whether he will accept the offer, or if the offer still stands following his departure from Renault F1.

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Meh, F1 is going down the toilet pretty fast. Testing bans, no more refueling next year, engine freeze, craptacular circuits in the middle of the arab deserts, are just a few of the things that turn me off from being as avid a follower as I've been in the past.
 
I'll believe that Max is gone, when he's actually gone. As for Bernie, I think we're stuck with him until he kicks the bucket.
 
This is big-Renault may pull out of F1, leaving very few big factory efforts. The whole sport may decrease in stature.
That is a major cheating scandal that may rock the F1 world.
I see the efforts to keep a lid on costs as necessary, but rules makers walk a thin line between running off the big names and encouraging more participation from "privateer" teams.
 
Renault should have been tossed, but since there is a shortage of engine suppliers, they get two years suspended.
 
I don't know yet.

My initial reaction was that I didn't like it, but after thinking about it it does present some very interesting challenges, like how the cars characteristics will change from the beginning of the race, when it's heavy, to the end of the race, when it's lightest. It should highlight the best drivers abilities, but it could make for less passing as there won't be cars of different weight on the track any longer. There are infinite variables to consider and will be very interesting to see how it all plays out next year.

One thing that would be nice to bring back with this would be another tire supplier or two.
 
Oh, there's no doubt in my mind these guys aren't the first to have done this...far from it. They won't be the last, either.

Doesn't make it any more palatable though.

A lot of the moral indignance over this in the racing community is pretty funny though, imho.
 
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