Briatore/Renault Fix Claim - Investigation

Ecclestone speaks as 'crash-gate' erupts
Racing series F1
Date 2009-09-01

By Motorsport.com/GMM

Amid the deafening silence from the Renault and Piquet camps, F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone went on an overnight media offensive as his sport's latest scandal erupted.

"It is not good for the sport. It all seems very strange to me but I do not know the truth, I have no idea," said the 78-year-old, who gave quotes and seemingly also information to multiple British newspapers.

The new reports indicate that the source of the accusation is Nelson Piquet and his famous father and namesake, furious that the 23-year-old driver was ousted by the French team after the Hungarian Grand Prix last month.

It is also suggested that the saga, which might go all the way to a hearing of the World Motor Sport Council, could prompt Renault to quit the sport no matter the outcome and end Flavio Briatore's F1 career.

"I think it will piss off Renault," Ecclestone said. "Them leaving the sport is a danger, obviously."

Ecclestone is a friend and confidante of the irascible Briatore, with whom he owns the London football club Queens Park Rangers. He said the Italian is "well and truly upset".

It has been reported that Fernando Alonso may be implicated if he knows anything about Piquet's Singapore crash, and Ecclestone warned that Piquet also risks finding himself in hot water by making such serious accusations.

"If it is true, then I would have thought Nelson was in just as much trouble. If I tell you to go and rob a bank and you get caught, you can't say, 'Bernie told me to'," the Briton said.

"But it could just be a rumour and Nelson is just pissed off that he has been fired."

Ecclestone described Piquet as "an angry young man" and suggested that, no matter what, his F1 career is over.

"You can safely say that he's sort of in trouble now. You'd have to wonder what next, wouldn't you?" he said.

"All I know is that Flavio is insisting that he knows nothing about it," added Ecclestone, who nonetheless admitted the FIA would likely react strongly if there is any truth to the rumours.

The FIA is looking into the claims, but the Paris federation confirmed that an investigation is underway without referring specifically to the Singapore GP nor Piquet or Renault.

"It will be difficult to prove," Ecclestone continued. "If there is something on the radio that said, 'Er, Nelson, you'd better crash now', then what the hell can they do?

"(But) we would have copies of those conversations and someone would have come forward in the interim," he added.

www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=343258&FS=F1

Guardian - Renault may quit Formula One over new cheating claim• TV network claims Piquet was told to crash in Singapore
• Bernie Ecclestone says Renault chief is 'well and truly upset'

Maurice Hamilton guardian.co.uk, Monday 31 August 2009

The FIA examination of last year's Singapore grand prix could lead to Renault quitting Formula One if their team is found guilty of interfering with the result of the floodlit race's inaugural running.

Although not mentioning Renault by name, the sport's governing body is likely to take a closer look at the race following the acquisition of fresh evidence. During the broadcast of Sunday's Belgian grand prix, the Brazilian network Globo TV reportedly said it had received information that Nelson Piquet Jr had been asked to crash on purpose and trigger the sequence of events that led to his team‑mate, Fernando Alonso, moving from the back to the front of the field and scoring a win that went against form in the previous 14 races. A spokeswoman for the ING Renault F1 Team said today that there would be no comment.

Renault have been at the forefront of rumours that they would be the next to pull out of F1 following the withdrawal of Honda and BMW. The French manufacturer was considering quitting last year but Alonso's win in Singapore, and victory at the next race in Japan, secured the team's short-term future. Renault's best finish this year has been fifth place in Spain, an unsatisfactory result that could accelerate the decision to pull out should an inquiry find against the British-based team. If the FIA feels there is a case to answer, Renault could be called before the World Motor Sport Council and, if found guilty, face a heavy fine or even expulsion.

Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One commercial rights-holder told the Times that he feared Renault could leave the sport as a result of the allegations.

Ecclestone said that Flavio Briatore, the Renault team principal, had told him that he knows nothing about the claims that have been made. Ecclestone also described the Italian as "well and truly upset", and added that Piquet could be finished as a Formula One driver.

"This is not the sort of thing we need at the moment," said Ecclestone. "I think it will piss off Renault for a start. Them leaving the sport is a danger, obviously. I mean, I hope that it isn't like that, but it's the sort of thing that might happen."

"What I know, I can't say, to be honest with you. All I know is that Flavio is insisting that he knows nothing about it. I think the FIA are looking into everything. They are trying to find out the reality. I suppose they would be upset if they found out that what people are assuming is true, is in fact true, I suppose."

When Piquet crashed on the 14th of 61 laps and sprayed debris across the track, the incident prompted the appearance of the safety car and caused every team bar Renault to immediately rethink their pit-stop strategy. A period of slow laps behind the safety car is the ideal time to refuel without losing an excessive amount of time. Renault were the exception because Alonso had refuelled three laps before Piquet's crash and rejoined at the back of the field. As the 18 cars running ahead of the former world champion made their pit stops, Alonso moved to the front.

The question is: was Piquet ordered to crash or was the accident a handy coincidence for a team under pressure to score their first win of 2008? If it was the former, then Piquet was either incompetent or extremely brave. The heavy collision with the concrete wall lining the street circuit destroyed the right-hand side of the Renault and risked injury. Had Piquet wished to prompt the safety car, it would only have required a slightly more dramatic version of the incident employed by Michael Schumacher in 2005 when he parked his Ferrari against the barrier in Monte Carlo and hampered the progress of rivals during the closing minutes of qualifying. Schumacher was demoted to the back of the grid. A spokesmen for Piquet said he would be making no comment.

The investigation comes less than two weeks after an angry Piquet referred to Flavio Briatore as his "executioner" after being sacked by the boss of Renault F1 and replaced by the Frenchman Romain Grosjean. Ferrari were accused of interfering with the result of the 2002 Austrian grand prix when Rubens Barrichello was ordered to move over in the final 100 metres and allow Schumacher to win. Ferrari were not reprimanded but the FIA banned team orders. The Singapore incident, if deliberate, is much more serious due to the risk of debris injuring other drivers and, possibly, spectators.

www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/aug/31/renault-f1-singapore-gp-nelson-piquet-junior

Perhaps then he could order Gianni to do the same, (metaphorically)?
Do it for the team Gianni

Mike, do you know what the westway is?



He's talking about the bloke killing himself FFS

Did Piquet kill himself? Possibly OTT but on both counts.

I apologise. It was in jest. I will amend so as not to offend or cause distress.

Black dot to ZRanger for his original crack. Gold star to ZRanger for his edit and apology.

(And how many times have messageboard readers seen things said - often not even made in jest -for which no apology was ever offered)

Zed is one of the most knowledgeable kindest funniest members of this board. I read it as a funny crack and not meant to be taken seriously. I cannot imagine any member really wishing anyone to drive their car to their death, literally. Unless a serial killer, or a mass murderer.

Im sure zed when you wrote it that it would be taken as a jest, the sort of thing one might say to a mate after a couple, but it has a deeper meaning. It represents all of our frustrations with a cohort of billionaires taking over the team and making instead of a promise of their wealth building us to a top team

Instead, we were conned. They made the team into the state it is in today, and all our dreams were killed.

That is the death,that Zed is alluding to. For myself, I feel that deeply.

The way I see it: Zed made a crack which wasn't in the greatest taste. Obviously he didn't mean it literally. And no one would have taken it as such. He took the high road (if I can still that use that phrase!) and apologized so that there could be no miscontruing.

"Untoward" things being said on a messageboard are scarcely a rarity. I don't think we need to elaborate. An apology is a rarity.

And just as this messageboard seeks to be different, Zed's apology was in complete keeping with this board. And I thank him.

What others do is up to them.

As I said, the apology stood out because it's such a rarity.

Express

OTHER SPORTRENAULT RACE-F IX DENIAL TO FIA

ALONSO: Questioned
Wednesday September 2,2009
By Bob McKenzie Have your say(0)

RENAULT executives have already given evidence to an FIA team denying they were involved in fixing a race in Singapore.


A lawyer led the group which swooped on Renault at the Belgian Grand Prix at the weekend, interviewing team principal Flavio Briatore and his director of engineering Pat Symonds.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso and several other engineering staff were also questioned about the incident at the race nearly a year ago.

Data and transmission recordings have been removed for examination, and if evidence is found the FIA will order a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council before the next Singapore race on September 27.

Renault stand accused – almost certainly by Nelson Piquet jnr, who was dropped a month ago – of ordering the Brazilian to crash soon after Alonso’s very early pit-stop in F1’s first night race. The accident brought out the safety car, which compromised other team strategies – a key factor in Alonso’s win.

Briatore has told F1 powerbroker Bernie Ecclestone that he knows nothing of such an order and is confident the team is innocent.

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa has been cleared to begin his return to fitness after examinations in Miami from one of the best motorsport injury specialists, Steve Olvey.

Massa, hit by a heavy metal spring during qualifying in Hungary, was in a coma but is now aiming for a comeback on October 18 at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

“I’m very happy with the outcome of the exams,” said Massa. “After the small surgery that I will have done in the next few days I can finally start working out a little in the gym and then I can start some kart training.

www.express.co.uk/othersport/view/124455/Renault-race-f-8202-ix-denial-to-FIA