Briatore gets banned, Renault given suspended sentence and the fallout begins!

[prisonermonkeys]

The Times has apparently published a transcript of Renault pit chatter before, during and immediately after the accident. It starts with Symonds and an engineer talking strategy:

Symonds: "I can tell you now we are not three-stopping."

Symonds: "Don't worry about fuel because I'm going to get him [Alonso] out of this traffic earlier than that."

Piquet: "What lap are we in, what lap are we in?"

Renault engineer: "He just asked: 'What lap are we in?'"

Symonds: "Yeah, tell him that he's about to complete lap eight."

Symonds adds: "No, just tell him, he is about, he's just completing, he's about to complete lap eight."

(Later) Symonds says: "Right, I'm going to ... I think we're going to stop him [Alonso] just before we catch him [Nakajima, just ahead of Alonso] and get him out of it, the reason being we've still got this worry on the fuel pump. It's only a couple of laps short. We're going to be stopping him early and we're going to go to lap 40."

(After Alonso's pit stop) Symonds: "Okay, right, you've got to push him really bloody hard now. If he [Piquet] doesn't get past Barrichello, he's going nowhere, he's got to get past Barrichello this lap."

Briatore: "Tell him, push."

Piquet's engineer: "Nelson, no excuses now, you've got to get past Barrichello. You've got four clicks straight-line advantage. Come on, you've got to push now, you must get past him."

(Piquet crashes several minutes later.)

Multiple voices: "Nelson's off. ****ing hell. Nelson's had a crash. I would say that would be a red flag. It's huge [everyone speaks at same time].

Piquet: "Sorry, guys. I had a little outing."

Engineer: "Is he all right? Is he all right?"

Symonds: "Ask him if he's all right."

Engineer: "Are you okay? Are you okay?"

Engineer: "Fernando's just gone past it."

Engineer: "Okay, yellow flag."

Piquet: "Yeah, I hit my head in the back. I think I'm okay."

Engineer: "Okay, understood."

Symonds: "Right [inaudible], stop him."

Engineer: "Safety car, safety car, safety car, safety car. Fernando, safety car, mixture three."

Symonds: "Tell him to be careful, turn seventeen I think it is."

Engineer: "****ing hell that was a big shunt."

Briatore: "****ing hell ... my every ****ing disgrace, ****ing, he's not a driver."

Symonds: "What position is Fernando in?"

Engineer: "Well, we were twentieth, and we're first guy to pick the safety car up."

Symonds: "Yeah, we're not ..."

Engineer: "He will get away past it but he's got to wait."

Briatore: "What position we are now in all this?"

Symonds: "To be honest, I don't know Flavio. It's got to have been good for Fernando. But I honestly don't know where he is."

I'm no expert, but I'd have to say that at face value, Renault didn't know about this in advance. I'd have to hear it in full - Briatore's reaction, for instance - to decide whether or not it's genuine or put on because they knew they were being recorded, though.

 

[darkfinal]

Briatore: "****ing hell ... my every ****ing disgrace, ****ing, he's not a driver."

Simply hilarious.

 

[Ardius]

If only the FOM broadcast those radio transmissions.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Breaking news: Briatore and Symonds leave Renault.

Briatore and Symonds leave Renault

By Matt Beer - Wednesday, September 16th 2009, 11:10 GMT

Renault has announced that team boss Flavio Briatore and engineering chief Pat Symonds have parted company with the team and that it will "not dispute" the allegations of race-fixing when it appears before the World Motor Sport Council next week.

The team had been accused of asking driver Nelson Piquet to crash deliberately in order to cause a safety car period that would work to his team-mate Fernando Alonso's advantage. The Spaniard went on to win the race.

"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix," said a statement from the team.

"It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.

"Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009, the team will not make any further comment."

More details expected soon.

Sounds to me like Renault are in damage control. They evidently want to stay in Formula One, because they're distancing themselves from those responsible.

 

[Hun200kmh]

This is what I found yesterday in Autosport:

This if the official transcript of the relevant parts of an interview between FIA representatives and Pat Symonds, at the Belgian Grand Prix, discussing the Singapore Grand Prix race-fix allegations and the race morning meeting between himself, Flavio Briatore and Nelson Piquet.

FIA adviser: In your own words Mr. Symonds what do you recall being said to Nelson Piquet Jnr at that meeting? This is shortly before the race.

Symonds: I don't really remember it.

FIA adviser: You don't remember?

Symonds: No.


FIA adviser: Nelson Piquet Jnr says that he was asked by you to cause a deliberate crash. Is that true?

Symonds: Nelson had spoken to me the day before and suggested that. That's all I'd really like to say.

(...)

FIA adviser: Mr Symonds were you aware that there was going to be crash at Lap 14?

Symonds: I don't want to answer that question.

(...)

FIA adviser: There is just one thing that I ought to ask you and put it to you so you can think about it at least. Mr. Piquet Jnr says that having had the initial meeting with you and Flavio Briatore you then met him individually with the map of the circuit. Do you remember that?

Symonds: I won't answer, rather not answer that. I don't recall it but it sounds like Nelson's talked a lot more about it.

FIA adviser: Mr. Piquet Jnr also says at that meeting you pointed out a specific place on the circuit where he was to have the accident and said it was because it was the furthest away from any of the safety or lifting equipment and gave the most likely chance of a safety car being deployed.

Symonds: I don't, I don't want to answer that question.

FIA adviser: [Referring to the pre-race meeting] Was it you that did the talking at that meeting Mr. Symonds?

Symonds: I'm sure it would have been both of us but I don't know for sure. Sorry that's a contradiction. I would imagine it would be both of us that would be normal. Actually probably more often it's Flavio that does the talking himself. I wouldn't necessarily always agree with what he's saying but the majority.

FIA adviser: Because just to be absolutely clear here what Nelson Piquet Jnr has said is that at that meeting it was you that asked him to have a crash deliberately?

Symonds: I can't answer you.

FIA adviser: Can I say that if Mr. Symonds you'd been put in the position where you were made to ask Mr. Piquet Jnr to crash it's much better, it would be much better for you in the long term to tell these stewards to hear that today?

Symonds: I fully understand that.

FIA adviser: Yes.

Symonds: I have no intention of lying to you. I have not lied to you but I have reserved my position just a little.

FIA adviser: And you're aware that the stewards may draw conclusions from your unwillingness to assist them in relation to what went on in that meeting?

Symonds: I would expect them to. I would absolutely expect that.

FIA adviser: I think I haven't got any further questions.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Yeah, that was linked to earlier.

 

[Ardius]

Wow, Flavio out?

First Ron Dennis, then Max Mosley, then Mario Theissen, now Flavio Briatore? Its like we're getting rid of all the people who have been disliked by someone somewhere one at a time.
Who's next? Bernie?

I thought we were already going retro at the start of the season, but now we really are! Independents coming in, Lotus back, Cosworth back, 28 possible cars on the grid, possible engine "defreeze" next year, older drivers in contention for the championship and now we're even getting rid of the people who shaped modern F1!

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Full story:

Briatore and Symonds leave Renault

By Matt Beer - Wednesday, September 16th 2009, 11:10 GMT

Renault has announced that team boss Flavio Briatore and engineering chief Pat Symonds have parted company with the team and that it will "not dispute" the allegations of race-fixing when it appears before the World Motor Sport Council next week.

The team had been accused of asking driver Nelson Piquet to crash deliberately during last year's Singapore Grand Prix in order to cause a safety car period that would work to his team-mate Fernando Alonso's advantage. The Spaniard went on to win the race.

"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix," said a statement from the team.

"It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.

"Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009, the team will not make any further comment."

Shortly before losing his drive with Renault, Piquet approached the FIA with the allegation that Briatore and Symonds had asked him to cause a deliberate accident that would bring out the safety car in Singapore, and that his heavy crash on lap 14 of the race had therefore been pre-planned.

Alonso - who had been a contender for pole until a qualifying fuel pump failure left him only 15th on the grid - had made a very early pitstop just before the caution caused by Piquet's crash and duly vaulted to the front of the field, from where he delivered Renault's first victory of a difficult season.

FIA investigators quizzed Briatore, Symonds and other team members over the incident during the Belgian GP weekend, and subsequently announced that the team would face a World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris on 21 September.

Evidence, including Piquet's statement, telemetry details and radio transmissions, was leaked to the media during last weekend's Monza event, which also saw Renault announce that it would take legal action against Piquet and his triple world champion father Nelson, accusing both of blackmail.

The saga then took another twist when it emerged that the FIA had offered Symonds immunity at the hearing in exchange for full disclosure of the facts surrounding the Singapore incident.

As the Renault team - rather than Briatore and Symonds themselves - has been charged over the allegations, today's announcement by the team is unlikely to have any bearing on next week's hearing.

 

[Hubbell_Tyson]

Gutted

I honestly thought it was just sour grapes from Piquet

 

[Robin]

Just saw the news on BBC, if Flav and Symonds have stepped down then its clearly true that they fixed the race. They probably thought Piquet crashing was so common that no one would notice. I still want to see what will happen at the hearing.

Im glad that people who dont play by the rules are held to account. Its not about who I like or dislike in the sport, if someone has been acting illegally then they should be kicked out. This F1 year has to be the most controversial in a decade.

In a way what Piquet did was right but the way he went about it wasnt the best and it will have ended his career anyway because no team is ever going to dare touch him for fear of him making allegations. It was more about bringing the ship down with him.

Now im wondering what will happen with Renault, will all the sponsors pull out? Will the team be dropped? I really hope they and Alonso dont suffer because of all of this.

Robin.

 

[daan]

So are Renault now going to use the legal defense of "Bigger Boys Did It And Ran Away"?

 

[Stotty]

Blood hell, this is hilarious. In addition to the obvious cheating, how can you seriously ask a driver to deliberately cause a crash risking serious injury/death?

I trust the fine is going to be suitably collosal.

Now im wondering what will happen with Renault, will all the sponsors pull out? Will the team be dropped? I really hope they and Alonso dont suffer because of all of this.

Wheather Alonso suffers or not will depend the extent of his knowledge I guess... I'd suspect he must have known something as it must have been discussed when they were agreeing fuel and pit stop strategy.

Renault should get crucified in the same way McLaren did.

 

[Stotty]

Double post

 

[Touring Mars]

Although there is no reason to suspect that Alonso had any prior knowledge of the plan, it is frankly unbelievable that he didn't know about it after the fact - how much he knew and when he knew it would be very interesting to know, and I don't think Alonso will come out of this unscathed. Piquet has basically had his career destroyed by this, and I for one feel very sorry for him, especially knowing what we know now - that Renault (under Briatore atleast) operate under a culture of bullying, threats and favouritism that puts rookie drivers under enormous pressure, so much so that they will risk injury just to please their masters. The whole incident stinks to high heaven and Briatore and Symonds have damaged the reputation of a sport that has been very good to both of them over the years. Good riddance.

 

[Ardius]

Hmm, I don't feel completely sorry for Piquet as he didn't have the common sense to say no. Its just as unbelievable that he would agree to do it.
Not to mention he only came out and said anything after he had been fired - he is doing this for revenge and nothing else, so I don't feel much towards him either. If they had continued to employ him, he wouldn't have said anything, so he's just as bad as Flavio & Co in my opinion.

I'm sorry he had to have a father in Piquet Snr though, he's clearly been the driving force behind almost everything Piquet Jr does.

Perhaps after this and the Hamilton incident, there is something to be said for older drivers? Perhaps all these younger drivers are too easy to pressure into these situations?

 

[Touring Mars]

Hmm, I don't feel completely sorry for Piquet as he didn't have the common sense to say no. Its just as unbelievable that he would agree to do it.
Not to mention he only came out and said anything after he had been fired - he is doing this for revenge and nothing else, so I don't feel much towards him either. If they had continued to employ him, he wouldn't have said anything, so he's just as bad as Flavio & Co in my opinion.

It isn't just revenge IMO - he was dropped by Renault on the basis of poor performance, but clearly some of that poor performance (i.e. Singapore, 2008) was infact not his doing but was actually demanded of him, so he has every right to be angry and every right to blow the whistle when he did. Perhaps he wasn't actually good enough to cut it in F1 right now anyway, and perhaps he should have gone to the FIA as soon as this happened, but he was clearly in a position where he felt (and was actually being) threatened with losing something he has worked for for years. Personally, I blame the bullying culture of Briatore's management more than Piquet's 'weakness' to confront it. Certainly, his timing for going public makes it look like revenge, sour grapes etc., but let's not forget that Piquet is actually telling the truth (unlike anyone else, seemingly) and has little to gain from it other than his own self-respect and ridding the sport of a team principal who would ask a rookie to crash on purpose.

 

[yeti]

Briatore gone = Good.

C.

 

[TheCracker]

Hmm, I don't feel completely sorry for Piquet as he didn't have the common sense to say no. Its just as unbelievable that he would agree to do it.
Not to mention he only came out and said anything after he had been fired - he is doing this for revenge and nothing else, so I don't feel much towards him either. If they had continued to employ him, he wouldn't have said anything, so he's just as bad as Flavio & Co in my opinion.

I think part of Piquet's problem was that Flavio wasn't just Nelsinho's team boss, he was his manager too. This arrangement didn't grant Piquet any bargaining power within the Renault Team and therefore pretty much had to put up or shut up. In hindsight Piquet should never have signed up Briatore as his manager - but what would you do if you wanted to get into F1 and someone with Flavio's power and influence wanted to manage you?

 

[Dijital Majik]

Although there is no reason to suspect that Alonso had any prior knowledge of the plan, it is frankly unbelievable that he didn't know about it after the fact - how much he knew and when he knew it would be very interesting to know, and I don't think Alonso will come out of this unscathed.

I agree. The clip of the conversation with Briatore after the race, saying the win was down to the safety car seemed so staged for the cameras.

 

[mipuumal]

Considering everything we "know" now, I think Piquet will be given another shot. Maybe not next year but sometime soon.

It's hard to believe how stupid some people in F1 are.

2007: Stepney & Coughlan
2009: Flav, Symonds & Ryan (LieGate)

 

[Stotty]

Piquet is dead as far as F1 is concerned... too slow and now a grass.

He might get some seat time in a lower formula if he's lucky.

 

[Prince.M5]

Piquet is dead as far as F1 is concerned... too slow and now a grass.

He might get some seat time in a lower formula if he's lucky.

Yeah... On my opinion, he should've shut his mouth up and keep on with his life... Better than having a revenge that could've ended on the other way around. He made a massive mistake to be honest...

He also should just get out of Renault or if he got sacked, just let it be then find another team at least as a test driver. Or perhaps drop to a lower Formula racing series which is the best solution for now... He also still can get money from that... Now, yeah I agree with you and he's now on a grass... Probably on a sand trap later...

 

[PeterJB]

So, who's gonna run Renault for the rest of the season? (That's if they have a rest of the season).

 

[Ardius]

Hopefully not Alain Prost.

 

[Stotty]

Word from a friend who's well connected in the F1 universe is that...

1) Renault employees are bricking it following todays announcement

but,

2) Other teams don't think the fine will be of McLaren proportions following the FIA 'lower the cost of F1' drive across the last year... they think it would be inconsistent to fine Renault 100's of millions of Euro's when they are trying to bring down the cost of F1.

 

[SgtWhitten]

Really interesting turn of events, I feel really sorry for all the Renault guys it's so unfair on them as they weren't aware of anything untoward.

 

[flubbachany]

This is going to be really interesting.

And good riddance to Briatore

 

[yeti]

Considering everything we "know" now, I think Piquet will be given another shot. Maybe not next year but sometime soon.

Not convinced...

There are plenty of young drivers out there that want the job... but then again... to give Piquet his due - he's quicker than the current crop of newbs on the track!!

C.

 

[chrisbroughton]

All things considered I am delighted that this has come out into the open as it is a total disgrace and Renault deserve to be banned for at least the rest of the year.

But I think Piquet spilt the beans for all the wrong reasons, and he fully deserves all the criticism he gets. At the end of the day he wouldn't have come clean for the sake of being honest, and therefore is as guilty as Flav and Pat.

This trumps the Spygate no question. Who knows who'd have been champion if Piquet hadn't crashed. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Massa's fuel rig drama in the pitstop during the SC period? That may never have happened without the added pressure of queueing in the pitlane caused by the SC, and he may have won the championship.

I feel sorry only for Alonso who will now feel he didn't deserve his win despite his (presumed) lack of involment in the scandal. If he walks now I'd understand, and the chances of him signing for Renault next seanon are now nil.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Yeah... On my opinion, he should've shut his mouth up and keep on with his life... Better than having a revenge that could've ended on the other way around. He made a massive mistake to be honest...

Piquet did good to tell the truth. Granted, it was for the sake of being honest but if this would never have come to light, Briatore would still keep on going with his sick management at Renault. As Touring Mars said, good riddance. We never actually got to see how Piquet Jr really drives because he basically has always been stuck with a teammate as Alonso, and Briatore as a manager. That in itself equals trouble. Alsonso does not accept that his teammate is being viewed as his equal, and Briatore will do anything to see his precious Alonso finish as high as possible. Even if that puts another driver's career at stake. That thought makes me sick for someone so high in order in F1. Piquet never had the equal car, Piquet always was under massive stress. I'm glad Piquet told the truth, even if he completely ruined his career. At least he took a faul manager down with him.