Flavio Briatore Banned for Life, Renault Disqualified Two Years (Suspended)

[...m...]

Breaking News

Renault Admits Guilt, Verdict:
• Flavio Briatore Banned for Life
• Pat Symonds Banned Five Years
• Nelson Piquet Jr. Granted Immunity
• Renault Banned Two years, Suspended Sentence

...the FIA also noted that it will not sanction any event involving briatore or symonds, and that any individual or entity associated with them in any capacity whatsoever will not be granted nor have renewed any license...

[lotus69f2]

So if I am to interpret this correctly, the only people really punished are Briatore - quite severely as it should be - and Symonds - fairly severly as being banned for 5 years makes it unlikely he could come back to F1, though lesser formula could be an option.

Renault it seems has not been penalized at all. They have a 2 year disqualification that will only go into effect 2 years from now and only if they do another big cheat. No fine -a la McClaren 100million - no loss of points?

Seems like the FIA are afraid to punish a manufacturer so deeply involved in motorsport.

[...m...]

...supposedly the hearing determined conclusively that the only individuals involved in the incident were briatore, symonds, and piquet, and nobody else was even aware it had taken place - the FIA stressed that had collusion been more pervasive throughout the renault team, it would have also received the death penalty...

...i suspect that renault's quick cooperation with the investigation went a long way toward keeping culpability strictly assigned to the designated fall guys...

[macdady2424]

What the heck? no $1 billion dollar fine? I think they got away pretty darn good.

[...m...]

...i think part of the reason there are no monetary nor point penalties being applied is that the incident involved a previous season and had no bearing on the outcome of this nor the forthcoming two seasons, which are all in current development...

[dickedup]

Originally Posted by ...m...

Breaking News

Renault Admits Guilt, Verdict:
• Flavio Briatore Banned for Life
• Pat Symonds Banned Five Years
• Nelson Piquet Jr. Granted Immunity
• Renault Banned Two years, Suspended Sentence

...the FIA also noted that it will not sanction any event involving briatore or symonds, and that any individual or entity associated with them in any capacity whatsoever will not be granted nor have renewed any license...

Flavio was a pretty talented fellow between his F1 work and knocking Heidi Klum up.

[EliseAtLeast]

If its true that only Briatore and Symonds was involved and nobody else on the Renault team had any involvement then I feel that Renault took all the appropriate actions and shouldn't be punished any more severely.

"Piquet was granted immunity from punishment because of his part in bringing the scandal to light. Alonso, who was also a Renault driver at the time, was thanked for his cooperation."

Piquet should not be granted immunity since he was the one that actually carried out the act and was going to keep quiet if he were not fired from the Renault team.

As for Alonso, they actually thanked him for his cooperation? Give me a break. They actually believed that he knows nothing about this? I find this hard to believe.

[dbisbee]

[dickedup]

Originally Posted by EliseAtLeast

Piquet should not be granted immunity since he was the one that actually carried out the act and was going to keep quiet if he were not fired from the Renault team.

As for Alonso, they actually thanked him for his cooperation? Give me a break. They actually believed that he knows nothing about this? I find this hard to believe.

Just the same old same.

[EliseAtLeast]

If its true that only Briatore and Symonds was involved and nobody else on the Renault team had any involvement then I feel that Renault took all the appropriate actions and shouldn't be punished any more severely.

"Piquet was granted immunity from punishment because of his part in bringing the scandal to light. Alonso, who was also a Renault driver at the time, was thanked for his cooperation."

Piquet should not be granted immunity since he was the one that actually carried out the act and was going to keep quiet if he were not fired from the Renault team.

As for Alonso, they actually thanked him for his cooperation? Give me a break. They actually believed that he knows nothing about this? I find that very hard to believe. He always gets away with everything. I guess FIA don't want to get his fans angry.

[ads_green]

The difference with the mclaren spygate affair was that when the leaked documents came light Mclaren argued successfully that they had not used any of the knowledge and that it was just a single rogue individual hence no direct punishment. However when Alonso tried to blackmail Ron Dennis to support him exclusively for the championship RD went to FIA himself with more info showing that actually a number of people other than the original perp knew hence the knowledge was available internal at Mclaren. Thus the team as a whole needed to be punished.

This was just FB and PS... As for NP jnr? hah - his F1 career is over and other formulas and classes would be wary of taking on such a driver carrying so much negative PR... so what more can they do? (Esp as it gives MM a chance to kill of FB). The only way he's going to get a drive is if daddy buys him a team... Not beyond the realms of possibility but hardly going to make Jnr a star.

[dwkoski]

Get those flamethrowers ready 'cause I'm gonna say it... 100 Million Dollar fine for Maclaren because a FERRARI EMPLOYEE sent them confidential data... NO PENALTY for Renault (effectively} for risking many peoples's lives and cheating to effectively alter the outcome of the Championship!!! The only reason for this is the threat of Renault leaving F1 (which they will do anyway) and the inability of Maclaren to do so. If I were Maclaren I'd demand my money back or threaten to pull out (yes, I know they can't do that.) Read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"....Dave

[Green Ghost]

I’m glad to see he can’t manage any drivers anymore too, what a conflict of interest that was. He should have never been allowed to be a driver manager if he was a team manager.

[Vexige]

Originally Posted by dwkoski

Get those flamethrowers ready 'cause I'm gonna say it... 100 Million Dollar fine for Maclaren because a FERRARI EMPLOYEE sent them confidential data... NO PENALTY for Renault (effectively} for risking many peoples's lives and cheating to effectively alter the outcome of the Championship!!! The only reason for this is the threat of Renault leaving F1 (which they will do anyway) and the inability of Maclaren to do so. If I were Maclaren I'd demand my money back or threaten to pull out (yes, I know they can't do that.) Read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"....Dave

+1 Where's the logic?
As to NP, his racing is over IMO. He opened the Pandora's box only after being fired, not b/c his sense of guilt wouldn't let him sleep. What's interesting, didn't FB know that Nelson will talk if fired? I'm sure Nelson warned him.

[rackhenry]

Originally Posted by Vexige

+1 Where's the logic?
As to NP, his racing is over IMO. He opened the Pandora's box only after being fired, not b/c his sense of guilt wouldn't let him sleep. What's interesting, didn't FB know that Nelson will talk if fired? I'm sure Nelson warned him.

My guess is Flavio thought he was safe with the balance -- NP threatens to talk - career ending, vs. talking and damaging Flavio. My guess is he underestimated the risk of NP going public considering the consequences to himself ( career done). In this game of poker everyone lost...

[Green Hornet]

Since Piquet acts like a 5 year old he was treated like one;

If you tattle on your friends we won't spank you - that's all you know - thank you, now go to your room we don't want to see you for a while (in this case forever)

I read somewhere Piquet was offered a drive in a Brazilian spec series... Formula Cry Baby

[apk919]

When I first heard rumors of this story, I really thought it couldn't be true... why on Earth would F1 team principals and drivers do something so stupid?

Is there any sportsmanship left in professional sports?

[mjf]

Originally Posted by lotus69f2

So if I am to interpret this correctly, the only people really punished are Briatore - quite severely as it should be - and Symonds - fairly severly as being banned for 5 years makes it unlikely he could come back to F1, though lesser formula could be an option.

Renault it seems has not been penalized at all. They have a 2 year disqualification that will only go into effect 2 years from now and only if they do another big cheat. No fine -a la McClaren 100million - no loss of points?

Seems like the FIA are afraid to punish a manufacturer so deeply involved in motorsport.

There was also Renault's financial contribution to race safety, which essentially is an unknown sum they're contributing, plus they had to pay for the costs of the investigation, again an unknown sum.

All of FB's drivers will have to get new management or lose their drive, this includes Webber, Alonso, and several others.

It certainly seems lighter than McLaren, but then again, Renault weren't really a contender. Mostly I see this investigation as a way for MM to get rid of FB while he still can.

[Green Ghost]

I say good for little Piquet, his F1 career was already over. After being let go from Renault (Briatore) mid season for not being a good driver who was going to pick him up. Add to this his manager was Briatore, his team boss was Briatore, who was he to go to in privet and say, this is what’s being asked of me, what should I do, what’s up, does this sort of thing happen behind the seen, who was on his side representing his best interests. Then who was going to represent him to another team? It would be in Briatore to stop him from driving for another team. Briatore really F little Piquet in every direction.

I was not a fan of ether of the Piquets, but little P got royally F’ed, so why not take down the F’er that started it. This is like robbing a bank then one of your fellow robbers calling the cops on you so he can keep all the take for him self.

Britore, what a slime he turned out to be.

[fitfan]

Originally Posted by dickedup

Flavio was a pretty talented fellow between his F1 work and knocking Heidi Klum up.

hhahahahaa!!! can i put that in my autosignature?