Renault guilty of race fixing

[Brogan]

I'm sure some names will be bandied around, but whether there'll ever be confirmation - I certainly hope not.

I agree with you frog, it's most likely NP's engineer.

However, there's nothing to stop Briatore naming the witness as he is not under any obligation, legal or otherwise to keep quiet about it.

Also, if briatore does start a civil case then I expect the witness will have to be named?

 

[GeoffP]

And now good old Bernie is recommending that Flavio appeals the sentence because it is too harsh!

But Ecclestone, who was part of the hearing that dealt with the case, now feels the ban is disproportionate and urged Briatore to appeal against it.

Maybe $100M would be fairer, or just maybe Bernie's making money out of controversy and wants it to continue - Nah, surely not, he's a gentleman and a professional, he wouldn't seek to create cost to the administration and further discredit to the sport for financial gain - Hmmm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 272812.stm

 

[RickD]

Its funny how the driver in the press conference were all dodging the question..

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/9/9973.html

Webber, Lewis, Kimi and Nico all dodged bullets..

Interesting comments from Webber about management though..

 

[GeoffP]

Love it RickD

Q: (MC) Can I ask where does that leave you then?
MW: My life has changed massively. It has turned it upside down. You wouldn’t believe. Honestly I have had Flavio looking after me for 11 years. I have never looked at the contract after I signed it on that first day and there are not many people in this paddock you can do that with. He has been sensational for me. I won’t work with anyone else in the future if I can’t work with him.

Bet he will now!

 

[fat jez]

Bet he will now!

He said he would do his own contract negotiations in future.

 

[GeoffP]

He said he would do his own contract negotiations in future.

Ah yes - I see my deliberatly misleading comment, I meant wrt reading the contract(s) he'd signed with Flavio

 

[RickD]

I really do not understand why he wouldn't read the contract?!? I have been contracting for over a decade and ensure that I know what is in each contract I put my name to, simply due to the fact that I don't later want to find out that the contract is invalid and I don't have a leg to stand on.

If I was his manager, I would have put a few things in there just to invalidate things deliberately.

 

[teabagyokel]

I'd get my contract with Briatore out and look for the invalidation clause myself. I hope Briatore isn't earmarking Webber, Kovalainen, Grosjean and his other pawns for his rival series, Flavio1!

And the kingpin of course being Mr. Alonso!

 

[cider_and_toast]

"Despite these concerns, you continue to insist on these ill-conceived measures. It is our opinion that the ability of yourself and your advisers to judge technical and safety issues in F1 must be questioned."

Part of a letter from one Flavio Briatore to Max Mosley after the introduction of the post Imola 1994 safety changes. The match the started the fire? Even funnier when read in the light of Crashgate.

 

[Brogan]

Renault loses a sponsor.

"Spanish insurance company Mutua Madrilena has requested to end its sponsorship deal with Renault with immediate effect following the race-fixing scandal."

The first of many (not including the ING deal which ends this year anyway)?

[bg=#E3001A]Autosport[/bg] Mutua Madrilena terminates Renault deal

 

[cider_and_toast]

Hmmm, Not that I want to stick up for Renault too much but this would seem like a conveniant excuse by a Spanish company to bail out of a deal due to Renault potentialy loosing Spains F1 Hero. Wouldn't be suprised if this company was scene banging the door at Maranello or having a quick chat with Campos.

It think the old adage is true that any publicity is good publicity especially in this day and age!!

 

[GeoffP]

It looks like the financial part of their penalty is now kicking in. I guess they must have planned for this before committing to continued their participation.

Next challenge is where to get their sponsorship from - maybe they should play on the "dark side" concept for attracting a new range of sponsors. Unfortunately Ferrari already sponsor an F1 team and Man U. aren't in this market place.... So who is the ideal dark side sponsor.... MicroSoft

 

[teabagyokel]

I spotted on the BBC Sport site that Bernie, whilst saying the ban was too harsh, has also said that Flav isn't speaking to him anymore!



It also calles Briatore a

59-year-old Italian

. 5 to 9 year old is more appropriate if that's his response. Put your toys back in your prams children!

And, fnf, Microsoft aren't darkside enough to sponsor Renault F1. They could also do the Manchester United thing and get a failing bank to sponsor them - who else finds it annoying that AIG nearly crippled the world's economy and they're still paying billions to get their logo on the Manchester United shirts?

 

[cider_and_toast]

What made me laugh about Bernie's comments aside from one of the executioners apologising to the corpse was the statement that it wasnt' the whole of Renault that knew about the plan but just 3 people and 3 people only. Ok then Bernie, let's count them then shall we:

Nelson Piquet Junior
Pat Symonds
Flavio Briatore
Witness X

Nope that makes 4 to me?

Wonder where Bernies mind was during the hearing ???

 

[GeoffP]

Microsoft aren't darkside enough to sponsor Renault F1. They could also do the Manchester United thing and get a failing bank to sponsor them - who else finds it annoying that AIG nearly crippled the world's economy and they're still paying billions to get their logo on the Manchester United shirts?

I heard from some psycho Man U fans last week (yes I went to stay with them and watched approx. 8 hours of footie over the weekend - really not my sort of thing) that AIG are pulling out for next season, although the comment they made was "four new shirts for the kids.... not ###### again!"

 

[Brogan]

Nelson Piquet Junior
Pat Symonds
Flavio Briatore
Witness X

Nope that makes 4 to me?

5 if you include Alonso*




* This statement is made in jest and therefore isn't libel

 

[teabagyokel]

Lets wade into Bernie's mind at the hearing?

How will this affect sponsors? Will ING want to be associated with F1? Will Singapore want to host another Grand Prix? Is a Pakistan GP off due to the security situation? Maybe we'll go to Indonesia in place of the Italian GP! Hold on, hearing going on. Renault must stay in F1. Jean Todt better become FIA President or Max will rescind his standing down; that'd be embarrasing. Flav should have come, but he's screwed. Maybe to cut costs we'll build a circuit on the moon. We'll have to let Ferrari have oxygen...

Yes, fnf, AIG are pulling out next season, and doubtless Man U would have changed their shirts anyway!

watched approx. 8 hours of footie over the weekend

So did you just watch the added time in the Manchester derby then

 

[Speshal]

Witness X you say..........

 

[Brogan]

ING have gone.

Is this the beginning of the end for Renault?

If Renault are "forced" out due to lack of sponsorship then that will make the FIA's non-penalty even more farcical.
Effectively Renault will have escaped punishment as part of a plea bargain to remain in F1 but then end up leaving anyway due to lack of sponsorship.

That will teach the FIA to fudge the issue and allow politics, power and money to dictate punishment.

[bg=#E3001A]Autosport[/bg] ING ends Renault deal immediately

 

[cider_and_toast]

Ok, So I take it all back. It's got nothing to do with the potential loss of Alonso to Ferrari.

I think the good ship Renault may have received a fatal hole below the waterline. Will there be enough room in the lifeboats??

EDIT:

Having just read the article I'd forgotten that ING were already going to pull out of F1 at the end of this season. This had just brought the decision forward. The question is how far advanced were Renault with talks with a new title sponsor and will they now struggle to get new partners to sign on?