Renault will not dispute race-fixing allegations; team leaders quit
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Well, it looks as though Nelson Piquet’s legacy in Formula One will be as the Renault whistle-blower.
Renault announced today that it will not dispute allegations of race-fixing stemming from a crash during the 2008 Grand Prix of Singapore and that team principal Flavio Briatore and director of engineering Pat Symonds have quit the team.
For more than a month, Renault had denied allegations it ordered Piquet to crash during last year’s inaugural race in Singapore. Piquet’s crash led to a safety car period which ultimately played a decisive role in helping teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.
The departure of Briatore and Symonds -- a pair that helped guide Benetton/Renault to four driver’s world championships over a 17-year collaboration -- could help the team earn some sympathy from the FIA at Monday’s World Motor Sport Council hearing.
Despite this, Renault faces dire consequences. FIA President Max Mosley has said the allegations are more serious than the ‘Stepneygate’ scandal that resulted in a $100-million fine and a loss of constructors’ points for McLaren in 2007.
But what would be the appropriate punishment for race-fixing? A retroactive disqualification of last year’s and this year’s results along with a suspension for this year’s final four races is reasonable. A fine should be imposed, too.
By practically admitting its guilt and ridding itself of all the players who supposedly were involved, Renault may have saved itself from being kicked out of F1.
As shocking as the whole saga is, it’s more shocking that two of Formula One’s most respected figures sank this low for a good result. (Remember, there was no guarantee Alonso would win because Piquet’s crash allegedly was planned before the race).
Both Briatore and Symonds will have to wear F1’s scarlet letter for the rest of their lives, and it’s doubtful they will be involved in the sport again (especially if the council issues them a lifetime ban).
Of course, let’s not turn Piquet into some sort of motor sport saint. After all, he did go along with the whole scheme and didn’t say anything until after he was released by the team in August.
If Piquet had any sort of true moral compass (or was simply a true racer) he would have refused to help the team cheat, even if it meant his Formula One career would be over. The Brazilian driver should receive a penalty -- such as a suspension from FIA-sanctioned events. A professional driver should never endanger the lives of other competitors and himself by intentionally crashing.
The underlying idea is the motor sport council needs to come down hard so team bosses and drivers never let this option cross their minds. Hopefully, Renault will accept its penalty and not use this as an opportunity to pull out of the sport.
Here’s some video of the crash that started it all:
-- Austin Knoblauch
Photos, from top: Renault team principal Flavio Briatore; Renault driver Fernando Alonso won the 2008 Grand Prix of Singapore after teammate Nelson Piquet intentionally crashed. Credits, from top: Roland Weihrauch / European Pressphoto Agency; Vincent Thian / Associated Press
