Renault Affair: The Official Verdict Finally Delivered!

The official verdict has been delivered. Renault receives a lifetime disqualification from the Formula 1 World Championship with a two-year probation. The team will therefore continue its journey in Formula 1. The sanction will be lifted at the end of 2011, if Renault does not commit any infractions by that date.

As for Flavio Briatore, he was banned for life from motorsport by the World Council.

Here is what the official FIA report states: « During this extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on Monday, September 21, 2009, the ING Renault F1 team admitted that the team conspired with driver Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately cause an accident at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in disagreement with the International Sporting Code and the sporting regulations of F1. »

« Renault F1 stated at the meeting that it had conducted a detailed internal investigation, which concluded that: Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds, and Nelson Piquet Jr. had conspired to cause the accident; and no other team member was involved in the conspiracy. »

The FIA admits that this incident deserved a lifetime disqualification; however, it states that it took into consideration Renault’s apologies and especially the fact that the team took the initiative by ordering an internal investigation, which was able to determine the responsibilities of each of the members involved in this dark affair.