The FIA will hear Renault on September 21

The FIA confirmed today that Renault has been summoned to testify before an extraordinary FIA World Council on September 21st.

In a statement sent by the federation, the team must respond to the charges against it, including the violation of article 151c of the international sporting code. This rule bans any fraudulent conduct or act detrimental to the interests of the competition or the interests of motorsport in general.

The FIA statement specifies: the team conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to deliberately cause an accident at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of deploying the safety car to benefit its other driver, Fernando Alonso.

Although this accident did indeed generate many comments at the time, the main parties involved have always highlighted the luck that fell on Alonso that day, with Piquet’s accident, confirmed by him on the evening of the race, being merely a racing incident. It seems that the FIA, through reported suggestions and past investigations, has evidence proving otherwise.

If the Renault team is found guilty of such a violation, the penalty could go as far as exclusion from the championship, while Bernie Ecclestone already feared that the mere accusation could push the French team to leave F1.

«ING Renault F1 Team has taken into account the FIA’s request to represent the team before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on September 21, 2009», stated the Renault team in a press release. «Before attending the hearing, the team will not make any further comments.»

After the issue with Alonso’s poorly secured tire in Hungary and the subsequent race exclusion, Renault finds itself once again under the scrutiny of the FIA, which will certainly not help the team’s future, as rumors suggest they may stop at the end of 2009.