Official: Renault F1 suspended only, but Flavio Briatore banned from race life

Flavio Briatore  is an Italian businessman. He was manager or principal of two Formula One racing teams, most recently with ING Renault F1 from 2000 to 2009. Since 2007, he has been part-owner and chairman of London’s Queens Park Rangers F.C. On September 16, 2009, Briatore was forced to resign from the ING Renault F1 team due to his involvement in race fixing at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. After the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) conducted its own investigation, Briatore was banned for life from any events sanctioned by FIA.

Now, most of you already know the story about driver Nelson Piquet Jr.’s on-purpouse crash so that Renault teamate Alonso can go for the win. The World Motor Sports Council made it’s decision public, after a meeting of an hour and a half. ealizing that Renault was contrite and that the company’s disappearance from F1 would be bad for a lot of people, the WSMC handed the company a two-year suspended sentence. That means that we will be seeing them again on the track at the end of 2011 or, most probably, beginning of 2012. Flavio, the old chief at Renault F1, wasn’t even in the hearing room and has actually left Renault already. What about the captain going down with his ship?

In my opinion it’s quite sad that a lot of fans, companies, workers and not the least drivers need suffer for some dirty games played at a high level. Corruption these days is best dealt with in one shot, but sometimes the adverse effects can be rather stingy.

Renault’s statement so far is:

The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.