-_-

 

Wonderful, they've won.

 

It would surprise me if Renault don't pull out by new year.

 

Max Mosely 2 v 0 FOTA

 

(McLaren og 2007, Renault og 2009)

 

I'll pass further comment after the FIA meet to discuss Piquet's allegations, which as a result of Briatore & Symonds resignations appear to carry significant substance.

 

But for now lets remember Briatore's greatest "hit".

 

Schumacher v Hill crash (1994 Australian GP)

Renault let off, 12 month suspended ban for 2 years

 

Symonds banned from motorsport for 5 years

 

Briatore banned from motorsport for life in any capacity

 

 

Max got his scalp

:cry:

 

I'm thankful that we only got a suspended ban.

 

 

The end of the day, max got what he wanted. Symmonds and Briatore gone.

This is utterly frustrating but more or less what I expected.

 

If the situation is of unparalled severity, how in the world can they only be given a suspended sentence and no other sanctions when another team were fined hugely simply for possessing technical data?

 

These people endangered the lives of drivers, stewards and spectators. They then lied about it and took the plaudits, and stuck to their line for a year.

 

And besides Flavio and Pat, they have effectively gone unpunished.

 

F1 is truly a laughing stock, as this decision shows that according to the FIA deliberately corrupting a race by crashing into a wall so endangering the driver and risking the lives of stewards and the public is less serious than being caught with another teams data.

 

Renault should, at minimum, have had all construction points scored in 2008 annulled, and been forced to hand back all constructors prize money from the 2008 season.

Grosjean crashes Renault on same Singapore turn as Nelson Piquet

 

In one of Formula One's more ironic moments, the Renault driver Romain Grosjean crashed his car during today's practice in Singapore at exactly the same spot at which Nelson Piquet Jr went into the wall during the 2008 grand prix dogged by the race-fixing saga.

 

"Sorry guys, I lost the car in turn 17," said the driver over the team radio after the accident that brought up memories of the incident last year which has dragged Formula One's name through the mud.

 

Then, Piquet Jr was persuaded to crash in order to allow his team-mate Fernando Alonso to take advantage of the safety car, aiding his chances of winning the race. In similar scenes today, the safety car was again called out as the debris from Grosjean's car was removed.

 

The revelations surrounding the 2008 crash have caused the then team principal Flavio Briatore to be banned from motor sport indefinitely for his part in the affair, while the team's chief engineer Pat Symonds was banned for five years.

 

Renault were given a two-year suspended sentence and that decision has caused two of their sponsors, ING and Mutua Madrilena, to end their deals with the team. ING, the principal sponsor, had already confirmed they would not be continuing their support after the end of this season; however they terminated their contract with immediate effect after the ruling.

 

Those decisions mean that the Renault car has been forced to shed the sponsors' logos. However, perhaps embarrassingly, those logos are still splashed over the clothes of the team's staff and mechanics.

 

Source:The Guardian

 

Oh the Irony

^^ lol but Webber crashes in the same turn, on 2nd free practice.

Webber crashed on the pit straight ;)

 

Still massively embarassing for Renault... *chuckles*

Oh for god sake, where do we find these people?

 

Why can't we find someone who can actually drive to sit in the 2nd car.

 

 

 

Piquet spent 90% of his races anywhere but the bloody track, talentless $h!t even had the cheek to cover me in Gravel Dust and christ knows what in Melbourne, would have been alright, but that same day on the way back to Brisbane i got explosive tested at the airport :mellow:

I think Grosjean has the skill he just needs the miles under his belt, you certainly can't blame him for inexperience.

 

Great race overall, I'm gutted for Rosberg who I was backing to catch Hamilton but his, Vettel's and Heidfeld's penalties all promoted Button so good news there. 15 points ahead of Barrichello is certainly not ideal, especially considering we have the traditional bloodbath races of Interlagos and Suzuka coming up so it's still all to play for.

Terrible race, Sutil is really stupid :rolleyes:

 

Nick was so unlucky this weekend. :(

I think Grosjean has the skill he just needs the miles under his belt, you certainly can't blame him for inexperience.

 

No, but we were a top flight team so we should be able to get someone with experience to drive for us

 

But they're all in a team?

 

It's hard for a rookie at the moment as you can't test. Jaime took ages to look like a half decent driver, even Fisi has said it's been really hard not being able to get used to the Ferrari.

No, but we were a top flight team so we should be able to get someone with experience to drive for us

 

you're not exactly that good a team, a midfielder I'd say...

you're not exactly that good a team, a midfielder I'd say...

hence the use of were. It wasn't long ago we won two world championships :cry:

But they're all in a team?

i wasn't clear, sorry, i meant instead of having Piquet.

 

We should have kept on Kovy

i wasn't clear, sorry, i meant instead of having Piquet.

 

We should have kept on Kovy

 

i.e.. A good solid midfield driver who won't challenge a brilliant yet tempremental driver with a big ego ability wise.

i.e.. A good solid midfield driver who won't challenge a brilliant yet tempremental driver with a big ego ability wise.

Kovy is a sensational driver. He did some good work with the R27, i just wonder how much better we could have done this year and last with him. It would be nice to have a 2nd person finishing races and staying out of the gravel traps/off the wall.

 

I still haven't forgiven Piqut for coverin me with gravel -_-

Wednesday, 30 September 2009 18:41 UK

Ferrari confirm capture of Alonso

BBC Sports News By Andrew Benson

 

Ferrari have announced that double world champion Fernando Alonso will join them for 2010 from Renault, with Kimi Raikkonen making way.

 

Ferrari said the Spaniard had signed a three-year contract and that he would partner Brazilian Felipe Massa.

 

"Driving a single-seater for the Prancing Horse is everybody's dream in F1, and now I have the chance to make this dream come true," said Alonso.

The 28-year-old said the move had been brought forward by a year.

 

Alonso's switch to Ferrari had been the worst-kept secret in F1, and the announcement is likely to trigger a string of driver moves.

 

"I'm very happy and very proud to become a Ferrari driver," said Alonso.

"Above all I want to thank Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who really wanted this three-year contract.

"We had an agreement this summer, starting in 2011, but then over the last few days the picture changed and we decided to anticipate my arrival in Maranello by one year."

"After this season [which has three races remaining] I will put all my effort into next," he added.

"I'm sure, together with Felipe, we'll offer Ferrari and the fans from all over the world some great satisfaction. I can't wait to start working with my new team."

 

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali, who described Alonso as an "amazing talent", paid tribute to Raikkonen's contribution to the team.

"We wish to thank Kimi for everything he has done during his time with Ferrari," he said.

"In his first year with us he managed to win the drivers' title [in 2007], so making his contribution to Ferrari's history, and he played a vital role in our taking of the constructors' title in 2007 and 2008."

 

The Finn is tipped to join McLaren-Mercedes although a spokesman said the Anglo-German team had yet to make a decision on a team-mate for Lewis Hamilton.

 

Raikkonen added: "I am very sad to be leaving a team with whom I have spent three fantastic years.

"I have always felt at home with everyone here, and I will have many happy memories of my time with the team."

 

As part of the cascade of driver moves that will follow Alonso's switch, BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica is understood to have signed a contract to replace Alonso at Renault.

 

Alonso's switch to Ferrari has been an open secret in F1 for weeks and BBC Sport understands he signed his contract as long ago as July 2008.

 

A Ferrari source told BBC Sport there are options to extend Alonso's deal, and that he will be earning an annual salary in the region of 19-25 million euros (£17.3-£22.8m).

 

Raikkonen had a contract with Ferrari until the end of 2010, but the team have negotiated an early release.

Massa is recovering at home in Brazil after suffering a fractured skull in an accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July.

 

Ferrari's expectations that he will return fully fit in 2010 have been boosted by his progress: on Monday he tested a kart for the first time since his accident and he is flying to Italy to use Ferrari's simulator next week.

 

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, who is standing in for Massa in the final few races of the season, will be Ferrari's test and reserve driver in 2010.

 

Alonso's move brings to an end his with a team for whom he has driven in all but two of his eight years in F1.

He was cleared of any involvement in the recent race-fixing scandal, in which Renault were found to have asked his team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr to crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to aid Alonso's chances of victory.

 

Alonso made his F1 debut for Minardi in 2001, moved to Renault as their test driver in 2002 and was promoted to their race team in 2003.

He became the youngest race-winner in F1 history when he won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix, and its youngest world champion in 2005, though he has lost those marks to Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.

 

Alonso went on to win a second consecutive championship in 2006, beating Ferrari's Michael Schumacher in a straight fight, before moving to McLaren as Hamilton's team-mate in 2007.

However, his relationship with the team was tempestuous and he left after just one season to rejoin Renault.

 

On his return he won the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix and, with one of his best performances, the following race in Japan, but the team have been uncompetitive this season.

 

So the least surprising story of the year which I knew about from an incredibly reliable source over 12 months ago sees the biggest ego and arguably the best driver in F1 Teflonso sign for the Prancing Horse, what are your thoughts?

He can go play with traffic.

He can go play with traffic.

 

I think Teflonso is probably the best all round driver in F1 at the moment, however his achilles heal is that he is only good in a one man team. So how he copes driving with (hopefully as good as before) Massa next year will be as intriging in 2010 as much as the Hamilton/Raikkonen partnership, or will Alain Prost's legendary (& accurate IMHO) comments about Teflonso "The best driver in F1 when he decides not to throw his toys out the pram" ring true (again).

 

Still Renault F1 2010 = Kubica & (likely) Kovalainen. Not a bad lineup IMHO.