Whilst watching the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Nelson Piquet Jr's crash seemed an innocuous one. Turn 15, a 70 mph left hander, is a moderate challenge for today's skilled and fit Formula One drivers.
Piquet had an outside chance of grabbing himself some world championship points, and to benefit his teammate Fernando Alonso, who himself was running first but through a short-fuelled strategy, the Brazilian was ordered to crash his car deliberately by team manager and technical director Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds to help Alonso's cause through the arrival of the safety car.
Now, the latest court hearing in Paris has sealed the team's fate, plus Briatore's and Symonds'. Renault were handed what seems to be a lenient two-year suspended ban. Briatore adjudged to have played a significant role in this devious scheme and has been banned from all FIA-sanctioned events, while Symonds was only banned for five years.
The team also suffered a further blow when they loss its main sponsors and banking giants ING withdrawned its association with the French outfit. Bad times lie ahead, with ongoing rumours that Ferando Alonso will join Ferrari next year.
No comments:
Post a Comment