Renault admitt to race fixing!

[Reaper]

Briatore leaves Renault; team won't dispute charge

Renault managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Simonds have left the Formula One team.

Renault have also decided not to dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, the team have announced.

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



Briatore leaves Renault; team won't dispute charge - Planet-F1 News - from planet-f1.com

[Reaper]

Ecclestone: I feel sorry for Briatore

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has expressed his sadness at close friend Flavio Briatore's sensational exit from the sport.

Ecclestone's comments are unsurprising given the bond forged over the years between himself and Briatore, who first stepped into F1 in 1988.

Twenty one years later and Briatore's relationship with the sport is at an end as he today left his position as team principal with Renault, along with his number two, Pat Symonds, their executive director of engineering.

The shock announcement was made by Renault, who also confirmed in a statement they "will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix."

Briatore asserted on Friday, during the course of the Italian Grand Prix weekend, there was no wrongdoing, and that he, the lawyers and Renault were confident of success in their case.

But the subsequent departure of Briatore and Symonds now raises new questions regarding the incidents that unfolded on September 28 of last year.

Ecclestone, a long-time ally of Briatore and who is a co-owner of Coca-Cola Championship side QPR with the 59-year-old, admitted to Press Association Sport his surprise at the events of 'crashgate'.

Ecclestone: I feel sorry for Briatore - Planet-F1 News - from planet-f1.com

[danja]

At this stage its really just a sensationalist headline. The media are twisting the words to rape a story out of them. The actual quote was:

"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."

Which is not the same as saying "Yes, we did it.". In fact I would go so far as to say that declining to comment on serious matters before an inquiry is conducted is both prudent and common practice.

[Reaper]

Actually the full quote was:

"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.

"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."

The first sentence is pretty daming. I think it's all about damage control now and to avoid getting booted out of the sport.

Reaper

[danja]

It certainly isn't looking good for them, but its still no admission of guilt at this stage.

I wish the papers would report the facts, and not jump to conclusions - really poor journalism in my opinion.

Where's this Fairyland I keep hearing about? I want to live there

[immortality]

if the quote is accurate then it's a admission of guilt and Reaper has hit the nail on the head. damage limitation time.

[Acrow]

I always thought there was a conflict of interest where a team manager was also managing individual drivers!