Renault Disqualified from Formula 1 until 2011

The FIA agreed not to pursue action against Piquet for his role in uncovering the details of the scandal. Photo by BGNES

Renault have been given a two-year suspended ban from Formula 1 for their role in fixing last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

The team were called before governing body the FIA to answer charges they had asked driver Nelson Piquet Jr to crash to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win.

Former team boss Flavio Briatore has been banned from FIA sanctioned events for an unlimited period, the BBC reported.

Ex-engineering director Pat Symonds has also been excluded for five years.

Briatore and Symonds parted company with Renault last week at the same time as the French car giant said they would not contest the charges.

The FIA agreed not to pursue action against Piquet for his role in uncovering the details of the scandal.

Fernando Alonso, who attended the hearing in Paris, was also cleared of any involvement in the race-fixing scheme and the FIA added it "thanks him for cooperating with inquiries".

However, the World Motor Sport Council has found Renault guilty of breaking its sporting code, finding; "breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity.

"They not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr. himself. The WMSC considers that offenses of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1's disqualification until the end of the 2011 season. ", F1 official statement said.

 

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