The F1 2009 thread

[Craig 6707]

Seriously Rob will you just fuck off you tiresome moaning cunt. Nobody can ever have a discussion on here about wrong-doing within sport without you popping up and preaching your 'holier than thou' line.

 

Sport is corrupt - it's been that way since before even you existed. It's not about who is cheating but about who gets caught.

 

If Renault are found guilty it'll be the first guilty case of race-fixing ever in Formula One. Considering McLaren were thrown out of the 2007 championship standings for spygate I expect Renault's penalty (if found guilty) to be stronger - perhaps even having their 2010 entry awarded to another team.

 

 

 

 

 

I'ts not moaning to point out that a "sport" that charges people serious money is bent

 

if I want to watch a fixed "sport" I'll watch American wrestling

 

F1 is not a 'fixed' sport. If it was, this charge would never have been brought to the fore. And no-one's holding a gun to your head (or anyone else's for that matter) and telling you to spend!

[Rob W 0]

Not a fixed sport eh?

 

Drivers told to let someone else win?

 

Drivers told to drive into walls??

 

Drivers breaking down on at critical points when qualifying at Monaco

 

COME ON Craig! Wake up lad....................................

[Meenzer 15920]

Wow. I do still wonder to what extent the team will be hauled over the coals, though - and Alonso in particular, if they can prove he was in on the deal too.

[Ketsbaia 0]

There's no doubt in my mind Alonso must've known something was going to happen. If I was a driver and the carefully calculated strategy the team had been working was thrown out of the window at the last second for something which, on paper, looks daft considering my position, i'd be inclined to kick up a stink ot at least ask why.

[Craig 6707]

Not a fixed sport eh?

 

Drivers told to let someone else win?

 

Drivers told to drive into walls??

 

Drivers breaking down on at critical points when qualifying at Monaco

 

COME ON Craig! Wake up lad....................................

 

And in each case, which was singular BTW - can't remember multiple drivers parking it at Monaco, the governing bodies took action when wrong-doing took place.

 

Bit like in football with Juventus, no?

[Craig 6707]

There's no doubt in my mind Alonso must've known something was going to happen. If I was a driver and the carefully calculated strategy the team had been working was thrown out of the window at the last second for something which, on paper, looks daft considering my position, i'd be inclined to kick up a stink ot at least ask why.

 

I don't agree with you on this one mate - I actually think he had no idea. If he had, I doubt he'd have ever made reference to it in the green room before going onto the podium.

 

Tell you what though, Ferrari must be pissing themselves on this given what they've had to contend with re: Schumacher over the years....

[Guest alex]

Not a fixed sport eh?

 

Drivers told to let someone else win?

 

Drivers told to drive into walls??

 

Drivers breaking down on at critical points when qualifying at Monaco

 

COME ON Craig! Wake up lad....................................

 

And in each case, which was singular BTW - can't remember multiple drivers parking it at Monaco, the governing bodies took action when wrong-doing took place.

 

Bit like in football with Juventus, no?

The cynicism allows an opinion on just about everything without really knowing much about what he's on about. It's to wind-up the enthusiasts. Sad little man tbh.

[Rob W 0]

I am getting to you again young shaver?

 

:lol:

[Craig 6707]

I am getting to you again young shaver?

 

:lol:

 

Sounds like he's getting the better of you IMO

[tinofbeans 91]

good riddance to briatore. classless twat at best. as for alonso, he really doesn't like not getting his way. look at him at mclaren, he was outdriven for the most part by a rookie because he was on an equal platform. you can bet that piquet ( whilst not a great driver) always got 2nd fiddle.

[Craig 6707]

Tell you what, Renault's decision not to challenge the charge surely leaves Nelson open for charges too? Whistle-blower or not, he was in on it and took part. He's as guilty of race fixing as they are.

 

Coming to think about it, I'm beginning to agree with Skol and I'm not sure if Alonso is in the clear yet, either.

[ewerk 31784]

Tell you what, Renault's decision not to challenge the charge surely leaves Nelson open for charges too? Whistle-blower or not, he was in on it and took part. He's as guilty of race fixing as they are.

 

He was guaranteed immunity.

[Craig 6707]

Tell you what, Renault's decision not to challenge the charge surely leaves Nelson open for charges too? Whistle-blower or not, he was in on it and took part. He's as guilty of race fixing as they are.

 

He was guaranteed immunity.

 

Which is ridiculous, don't you think?

[ewerk 31784]

I assume that the FIA thought it was the lesser of two evils.

[Craig 6707]

I assume that the FIA thought it was the lesser of two evils.

 

Maybe - just seems a bit mad though. Evidently desperate for whistle-blowing surely a good sign that they believe more corruption to be prevelent?

[Rob W 0]

you said it Craig :razz:

[Craig 6707]

Renault handed suspended F1 ban

 

Renault have been given a two-year suspended ban for their role in fixing last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

 

The team were called before governing body the FIA to answer charges they had asked driver Nelson Piquet Jr to crash to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win.

 

Former team boss Flavio Briatore has been banned from FIA sanctioned events for an unlimited period.

 

Renault's ex-engineering director Pat Symonds has also been excluded from F1 for five years.

 

The plan to deliberately crash was their idea, Piquet told the FIA.

 

Briatore and Symonds parted company with Renault last week at the same time as the French car giant said they would not contest the charges.

 

At a hearing in Paris on Monday, the ruling World Motor Sport Council hearing found Renault "in breach of the International Sporting Code and Sporting Regulations."

 

A statement by the FIA added: "The council considers Renault F1's breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity.

 

"They not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr. himself.

 

"The WMSC considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship.

 

"However, in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1's disqualification until the end of the 2011 season."

 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport...one/8266090.stm

[Craig 6707]

Rumour abound that Briatore is also permanently banned from managing drivers.

 

That'll be Webber, Alonso and others looking for new management then.

[ewerk 31784]

Football League looks at Briatore

 

The Football League has asked Formula 1's governing body the FIA for more details of Flavio Briatore's ban.

 

The Queens Park Rangers co-owner and ex-Renault team boss has been suspended indefinitely from FIA-sanctioned events over the F1 race-fixing scandal.

 

According to Football League rules, nobody can be a director or hold a majority interest in a club if they are banned from a sport's governing body.

 

The league said it will consider its position once the FIA has replied.

 

The 59-year-old Italian left his post as Renault team principal last week, along with executive director of engineering Pat Symonds, after the team decided not to contest FIA charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

 

The charges were brought after Nelson Piquet Jr claimed he had been asked to crash in order to help team-mate Fernando Alonso.

 

At a World Motor Sport Council hearing on Monday, Briatore was banned with the FIA adding that it would not grant a licence to any team he was involved with or renew an F1 Superlicence granted to any driver associated with him.

 

Briatore is co-owner of QPR along with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

 

He is also chairman of the holding company that owns the club and a director on the board of the Championship side.

 

The Loftus Road club have refused to comment on the FIA's findings.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

As their name is mud now, I wonder if Renault have considered re-branding the F1 team (or the customer engines) as Nissan seen as though they own half of the Japanese company.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

An unidentified whistle-blower within the Renault Formula 1 team was key for providing the evidence that revealed there had been a conspiracy for Nelson Piquet to deliberately crash in last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

 

Renault's initial investigations that took place around the time of this year's Belgian Grand Prix led it to believe that there were only minor pieces of evidence to suggest the matter was even worth investigating.

 

However, during interviews that took place with team members, an individual revealed the details of the case.

 

He stated that Piquet had approached Symonds after qualifying to suggest the idea of a deliberate crash, and that the idea had been worked upon once Symonds mentioned it to Briatore.

 

The World Motor Sport Council's findings stated: "This version of events was put to Pat Symonds and Flavio Briatore. Mr Symonds did not deny the events. Mr Briatore consistently denied any involvement and did not recall the alleged discussion."

 

Renault admitted to the FIA that in light of the whistle-blower's evidence it made the decision not to dispute the charges and accept that there had been a conspiracy.

 

The findings of the WMSC hearing state: "The evidence (gathered by Renault F1 and the FIA) supports the assertion that the whistle-blower is one of the many people employed by Renault F1 (over 700 people) who had nothing to do with the conspiracy... the whistle-blower's actions demonstrate that this conspiracy did not go to the heart of the team, but was restricted to the actions of 2 or 3 people."

 

Renault stated that it would not identify the whistle-blower because it did not want the individual to "become the subject of press attention."

 

The FIA requested, however, that it be able to interview the whistle-blower to gather evidence ahead of Monday's hearing.

 

Interestingly, Piquet stated in a letter from his lawyers to the FIA that he did not propose the crash plan, and instead was first aware of it on Sunday morning when he was summoned to a meeting with Symonds and Briatore.

 

So Piquet jr. came up with the idea, then got himself immunity when the shit started to fly? The boy must have a future as a politician.

[Craig 6707]

I wouldn't have at all been surprised if NP did come up with the idea - the suggestion was put to me that he used it as leverage against Briatore and th threat of being fired which would make sense.

 

It's also strongly rumoured that Piquet Snr knew nothing about it until after the event and when he found out, went straight to Max who told him they could do nothing without a statement from Nelson Jnr. Max's interview at Monza suggested that chat he had with Piquet Snr happened following him being sacked but it came much more early.

 

All which lends to the suggestion that he squealed out of retribution to Flavio rather than feeling what he did was immoral. Which makes the fact that he was granted immunity all the more frustrating.

 

Stupid thing is, if he'd kept his trap shut, there's 4 new teams starting in F1 next season so there would have been a damned good chance of a drive and the ability to rebuild his career. Now I don't think he stands a snowball's chance in hell!

[Craig 6707]

First practice session is on and Romain Grosjean (Piquet's replacement) has apparently 'dropped it' in exactly the same fashion and at exactly the same corner that Piquet crashed at last year.....

 

How ironic! Renault guys are supposedly lookign gob-smacked

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Odd that Hamilton says he's talking when the official hospital press releases says he's communication through arm and leg movement but not speech.

 

The more this goes on, the more I think it's like Wendlinger's situation. He'll come back, be nowhere near what he was and then disappear out of motorsport completely. Shame, he's one of the better guys on the track.

 

Renault will not be suspended - they'll race under appeal and no, I can't see them allow Alonso to jump ship unless he already has his 2010 contract with them. Schumacher?? Not a chance. How about Bourdais? He's used to driving a Ferrari engined car!

 

There's a name which has entered my head - someone who's a former WDC who's made noises that he wants to come back to the sport. Hope he doesn't dare tarnish his old man's name any further by driving for the team that his dad was a legend for though.

 

Don't think it'll be Gene either although Ferrari aren't really in the hunt for either championship this season so it's not like they desperately need a front runner.

 

I wonder if Ferrari are as keen to allow Kimi to do the rally now? Be a bastard if they both do themselves an injury this season.

I know someone fairly high up at Santander and he reckons it's a done deal that Alonso will be driving a Santander-sponsored Ferrari next season and has been for some time.

ITK-tastic:

Ferrari has officially confirmed that Fernando Alonso will replace Kimi Raikkonen in its line-up from 2010, having completed a three-year deal.

 

"We are very proud to welcome to our team another winning driver, who has demonstrated his amazing talent by winning two world championships in his career to date," said Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali.

 

Alonso's arrival is likely to see Raikkonen returning to his former team McLaren alongside Lewis Hamilton.

 

The Finn delivered the world championship for Ferrari in his first season with the team in 2007, but his results have declined since and he will leave the squad a year before his contract had been set to expire.

 

"Of course, we wish to thank Kimi for everything he has done during his time with Ferrari," said Domenicali. "In his first year with us, he managed to win the drivers' title, thus making his contribution to Ferrari's history and he played a vital role in our taking of the constructors' title in 2007 and 2008.

 

"Even during a difficult season like this one, he has demonstrated his great talent, with several good results, including a great win in Spa and we are sure that we can share more good times together in the final three races of this season."

 

Raikkonen underlined that his departure from Ferrari had been by mutual consent.

 

"With common consent, we have agreed to terminate the contract binding me to Ferrari to the end of 2010, one year ahead of schedule," he said.

 

"I am very sad to be leaving a team with which I have spent three fantastic years, during which time I won plenty of races.

 

"Together, we have won 50 per cent of the world titles in that period and I managed to take the drivers' title in 2007, thus achieving the target I had set myself at the start of my career. I have always felt at home with everyone here and I will have many happy memories of my time with the team."

 

Alonso's confirmation at Ferrari is likely to trigger a series of 2010 driver announcements over the coming days, with the Spaniard's move long tipped as the decision that would allow the rest of the 'silly season' jigsaw to fall into place.

[Craig 6707]

tbf the Alonso deal was the worst kept secret in sport. I should imagine the Santander deal will follow