F1 - GP (General Purpose)

Chode ^ | 8/5/2009 | Chode

[SmokingJoe]

I am fairly certain Fernando Alonso knew about it.
Heck this is a guy that went a far as to get the Spanish Sports Minister to try and get him more favorable treatment after Lewis Hamliton started kicking his butt in race after race.
As for Falvio Briotare, I have always liked the guy, but this is just disgusting. The whole Formula 1 set up right now is riddled with corruption and sleaze of any kind you an think of, ranging from Mosley's Nazi style kinky sex antics, to Bernie Ecclestone’s profession of his great admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Just who are these clowns anyway?
You can't make this stuff up. If you saw it in a movie, you’d think they were letting their imaginations run wild.

[SmokingJoe]

“Without Michael “

Gotta say I kinda switched off when Michael declared he was not going to race. It was a big let down.
Ah well.

[Chode]

yo...

[God luvs America]

I don’t think the FIA will ban a constructor given the fact they are losing BMW and likely Toyota...I do think Renault’s leaving the sport after this year anyway on a voluntary basis...the more interesting thing to see is if they field cars for the Singapore race...

[frithguild]

Hmmm - Briatore out of F1 for life and Toyot is rumored to be leaving - two of the biggest thorns in the side of Max Mosely. They are all just so ... Eurpoean

This all makes Peter Windsor and United States Grand Prix Engineering look brilliant, locating in Charlotte. They are also looking at Cosworth power, which is another American owned company. Will we see the return of the Lotus Cosworth? I hope so.

[Elle Bee]

FIA Verdict: Renault handed suspended disqualification

Formula One governing body the FIA has handed the Renault team a suspended disqualification from the World Championship following Monday's World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) hearing in Paris. The punishment will be placed on hold until the end of the 2011 season and will only be active should a similar happening take place before then.

Monday's hearing in Paris signalled what should be the end of the 'Crashgate' scandal. The FIA believes that the team did indeed cause a deliberate crash in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix but, having taken into account an apology from the Enstone team plus the fact that former chiefs Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds left the outfit last Wednesday, Renault appears to have come off lightly.

An official FIA statement reads:

'At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council held in Paris on 21 September 2009, the ING Renault F1 team ("Renault F1") admitted that the team had conspired with its driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in breach of the International Sporting Code and F1 Sporting Regulations.

Renault F1 stated at the meeting that it had conducted a detailed internal investigation, which found that: (i) Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr. had conspired to cause the crash; and (ii) no other team member was involved in the conspiracy.'

Having used information based on its own investigation of the incident in Marina Bay, the FIA listed the reasons why the penalty is suspended (and set to expire at the end of 2011) as opposed to an instant banishing from Formula One:

- Renault confessed as early as possible in the hearing

- Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds, two of the men responsible, are no longer part of the team

- Renault unreservedly apologised to the FIA

- Renault agreed to cover the FIA's costs for the investigation

- Renault (the manufacturer) agreed to commit itself to FIA-related safety projects

'Nelson Piquet Jr. also apologised unreservedly to the World Motor Sport Council for his part in the conspiracy.'

More on Renault's Monday WMSC hearing:

FIA reaction:

- Briatore banned permanently from F

- Symonds suspended from F1 for 5 years

- No punishment for Piquet

- Alonso not involved in scandal

More reaction:

- Full apology from Renault

- 'Bitter regret' for Piquet

.

[SmokingJoe]

“suspended disqualification” for the Renault team huh?
In other words, no disqualification at all.
You can always trust Formula One to do back room deals every time. Ah well, the show goes on.

[Elle Bee]

The FIA is now run like a condo board

.

[TrueKnightGalahad]

Thanks for the laugh - your observation is spot on!

[Elle Bee]

I'm sorry to say it's too true

.

[Chode]

just damn...

[Betis70]

Spa is off the list of racetracks to visit for the next 17 years (well, dream about going to).

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/09/23/spa-loses-right-to-host-f1-race/

[Chode]

that sucks...

[Chode]

Ferrari set to reveal Alonso move

Ferrari are poised to announce that double world champion Fernando Alonso will join the team for 2010.

The Spaniard, 28, has signed a two-year contract with options to extend and will earn a salary in the region of 19-25 million euros (£17.3-22.8m).

The deal will be confirmed on either Wednesday or Thursday, according to sources at Ferrari.

Alonso will partner Felipe Massa, with Ferrari's 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen tipped to move to McLaren.

The Finn had a contract with Ferrari until the end of 2010, but they have been in negotiations to move him to another team.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8280566.stm

[Elle Bee]

The Silly Season

.

[Chode]

Kimi and the Kid will be tough to beat next year if the car performs well

[frithguild]

And if Masa is slow to recover - Alonso and Fisichella??

[Leo Farnsworth]

Massa might make the last race of the season...
http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5594765,00.html

[frithguild]

I truly hope he is well enough to return. Head injuries are very tricky things. It will be a very long time before they know the extent of his permanency or whether he is capable of returning to his previous level of functioning.

[Betis70]

Great news! Good luck to Massa, that was such a freaky incident.