Suspended ban for Renault
But former team boss Briatore receives lifetime ban from F1Suspended ban for Renault
Renault have escaped with a two-year suspended ban by the FIA after admitting they ordered former driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
However, former team principal Flavio Briatore, who issued Piquet the order and who left Renault last week, has been banned indefinitely from all Formula One activities, including driver management.
Pat Symonds, the team's former executive director of engineering, has received a five-year ban for his part in the scandal while Piquet, who blew the whistle after being sacked by the team, had already been granted immunity from punishment.
The Brazilian's former team-mate Fernando Alonso, who won the race after benefiting from the safety car period the crash brought about, was cleared of any involvement.
Although the FIA admitted the "unparalleled severity" of the incident merited permanent disqualification, it instead suspended the punishment after taking into consideration the steps taken by Renault "to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved".
The team have been told that the threat of a permanent ban will hang over them until the end of the 2011 season and will only be activated if they are found guilty of a similar charge.
"We apologised in front of the World Motor Sport Council," Renault F1 president Bernard Rey said after the 90-minute hearing, held in Paris. "We took full responsibility and we hope that we will enjoy better days in the future."
The FIA has effectively handed Briatore a lifetime ban from motor sport, as well as determining he should not manage any drivers. The flamboyant Italian currently looks after the interests of four F1 drivers and, ironically, those of Piquet himself.
Pat Symonds, the team's former executive director of engineering, has received a five-year ban for his part in the scandal while Piquet, who blew the whistle after being sacked by the team, had already been granted immunity from punishment.
The Brazilian's former team-mate Fernando Alonso, who won the race after benefiting from the safety car period the crash brought about, was cleared of any involvement.
Although the FIA admitted the "unparalleled severity" of the incident merited permanent disqualification, it instead suspended the punishment after taking into consideration the steps taken by Renault "to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved".
The team have been told that the threat of a permanent ban will hang over them until the end of the 2011 season and will only be activated if they are found guilty of a similar charge.
"We apologised in front of the World Motor Sport Council," Renault F1 president Bernard Rey said after the 90-minute hearing, held in Paris. "We took full responsibility and we hope that we will enjoy better days in the future."
The FIA has effectively handed Briatore a lifetime ban from motor sport, as well as determining he should not manage any drivers. The flamboyant Italian currently looks after the interests of four F1 drivers and, ironically, those of Piquet himself.
Complicit
Briatore had insisted that no wrongdoing occurred during the race, held on September 28 last year, but the WMSC decided he was "complicit", also ruling that he continued "to deny his participation in the breach despite all the evidence".
Symonds was given a more lenient sentence after accepting his part in the conspiracy, as well as communicating his "eternal regret and shame" to the 26 members of the council.
According to the FIA, Renault made a number of points in mitigation, not least the acceptance "at the earliest practicable opportunity" that it "committed the offences with which it was charged and co-operated fully with the FIA's investigation".
It confirmed "Mr Briatore and Mr Symonds were involved in the conspiracy and ensured that they left the team", that Renault apologised "unreservedly" to the FIA and were also committed to paying the costs incurred by the FIA in its investigation.
Describing the action taken against Briatore, the FIA noted that it "does not intend to sanction any international event, championship, cup, trophy, challenge or series involving Mr Briatore in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any team or other entity engaging Mr Briatore in any capacity whatsoever.
"It also hereby instructs all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr Briatore access to any areas under the FIA's jurisdiction.
"Furthermore, it does not intend to renew any Superlicence granted to any driver who is associated (through a management contract or otherwise) with Mr Briatore, or any entity or individual associated with Mr Briatore."
As well as having management contracts with Alonso, Heikki Kovalainen, Mark Webber, Romain Grosjean and Piquet Jnr, Briatore also has an involvement with the GP2 feeder series.
Symonds was given a more lenient sentence after accepting his part in the conspiracy, as well as communicating his "eternal regret and shame" to the 26 members of the council.
According to the FIA, Renault made a number of points in mitigation, not least the acceptance "at the earliest practicable opportunity" that it "committed the offences with which it was charged and co-operated fully with the FIA's investigation".
It confirmed "Mr Briatore and Mr Symonds were involved in the conspiracy and ensured that they left the team", that Renault apologised "unreservedly" to the FIA and were also committed to paying the costs incurred by the FIA in its investigation.
Describing the action taken against Briatore, the FIA noted that it "does not intend to sanction any international event, championship, cup, trophy, challenge or series involving Mr Briatore in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any team or other entity engaging Mr Briatore in any capacity whatsoever.
"It also hereby instructs all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr Briatore access to any areas under the FIA's jurisdiction.
"Furthermore, it does not intend to renew any Superlicence granted to any driver who is associated (through a management contract or otherwise) with Mr Briatore, or any entity or individual associated with Mr Briatore."
As well as having management contracts with Alonso, Heikki Kovalainen, Mark Webber, Romain Grosjean and Piquet Jnr, Briatore also has an involvement with the GP2 feeder series.
'Right decision'
Speaking after the hearing in relation to the penalty, FIA president Max Mosley said: "I think it's the right decision.
"I think the blame has been placed where the blame should be placed.
"The penalty we have imposed is the harshest one we can inflict, which is disqualification, and it is complete expulsion from the sport.
"However, because Renault have demonstrated they had absolutely no moral responsibility for what took place - that's to say Renault F1 the team didn't know, and still less of course the company - it would be wrong in the circumstances to impose an immediate penalty."
As for Briatore, Mosley added: "It's sad because he's been in motor sport for 20 years, more actually.
"It's sad to see a career end like that, but what else could we do?"
With regard Renault's future in F1, when asked whether they would remain in the sport, as they are committed to do through to the end of 2012, Mosley issued a firm "yes."
"I think the blame has been placed where the blame should be placed.
"The penalty we have imposed is the harshest one we can inflict, which is disqualification, and it is complete expulsion from the sport.
"However, because Renault have demonstrated they had absolutely no moral responsibility for what took place - that's to say Renault F1 the team didn't know, and still less of course the company - it would be wrong in the circumstances to impose an immediate penalty."
As for Briatore, Mosley added: "It's sad because he's been in motor sport for 20 years, more actually.
"It's sad to see a career end like that, but what else could we do?"
With regard Renault's future in F1, when asked whether they would remain in the sport, as they are committed to do through to the end of 2012, Mosley issued a firm "yes."
Click here for the full FIA World Motor Sport Council decision.
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