Renault Dismiss Flav and Pat or Oh dear… Here comes trouble

[old man]

Originally Posted by Mr V

It does make me wonder, if this is true, why Renault decided to get rid of Piquet midseason, surely they know that the Piquet family would cry foul, if true, wouldn't they be better to have waited till the end of the season before dropping Piquet?

Exit strategy?

[jab]

Alonso pleaded ignorance

So hopefully that should remove any lingering doubts about his move to Maranello next year

[Bononi]

Well, while I like to read the usual experts that we're all used to post here (like Joe Saward) and those we read in english-written websites, I always wait for a trusty (at least on my side) source as a friend of mine who is a newspaper journalist for F1. Obviously, it's a matter of perspective, and in this case, which is involved a brazilian driver, I guess people might have different views about it.
Livio Oricchio - usually you'll find his name in the questions post-race press meetings - writing from Monza, in his last article, comments the allegations from Autosport and Autosprint, but more importantly, explains how the Piquets had approached FIA, in a similar agreement that Alonso made...
http://www.estadao.com.br/estadaodeh...mp432394,0.php

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by jab

So hopefully that should remove any lingering doubts about his move to Maranello next year

Is he the kind of guy whose words can bel trusted ??

Surely he would say that, I would, wouldn't you ?

[strider]

Originally Posted by jab

Alonso pleaded ignorance

So hopefully that should remove any lingering doubts about his move to Maranello next year

If that's right, and I hope it is, then why shouldn't Ferrari go ahead and announce Alonso as their driver for next year and beyond this weekend?

I suppose there may be some small loose ends to be tidied up in settling matters with Kimi, but that's all.

I haven't seen anything yet, but the Santander sponsorship was thought likely to be confirmed today.

[ECW Dan Selby]

I wish they'd just get on with it...

Everybody knows - it's F1's worst kept "secret".

Selby

[Bononi]

Uhn... I guess now it's confirmed. Reginaldo Leme, the one who raised the issue to the public, have spoken again in Monza: http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esport...EMEDITADO.html. FIA has made a deal with Piquet Jnr and won't be punished just like Alonso in the McLaren spygate... Max Mosley is getting full revenge now.

Let's see in how long people here will post this as official from an english site...

[strider]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Me neither.

They do deserve a punishment of some sort but talk of life bans and whatnot is OTT.

Yes it is based on what we know so far, but at some point earlier Bononi used the phrase "tip of the iceberg."

If that's right, all we can do is wait and see what else comes to light.

[Born Racer]

Yes, I'd be curious to know what you mean by the tip of the iceberg reference, Bononi.

[Mekola]

Iceberg brand used to be Bernie's (in Brabham and later F1 organisation) sponsor...
But yes, it could be a tip of the iceberg that could crush Renault F1/Briatore in full.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

Yes, I'd be curious to know what you mean by the tip of the iceberg reference, Bononi.

Well, I was just quoting some people allegedly "in the know", who are close or related to people involved in the issue. There have been some debates in TV talk-shows in SporTV, ESPN and Speed about it, but most of all Reginaldo Leme, the TV commentator who raised the scandal earlier during the last race transmission, and has been in F1 for the last 36 years, has made some interesting remarks. He's close to the Piquets, and have in-depth knowledge of F1 circus dramas... I wouldn't like to share info that I can't post here backed by links, or reference to other sort of media that can be easily checked, because our own policy in the forum... that would go against my mod status But as a tip, I would say that, from Max side it goes back to the sexual scandal and so on all along the last "battle", and the persons involved have been "investigated" since then...

Hollywood wouldn't come out with a better script...

[White flag man]

The height of journalism the "Daily Mirror" has written a piece on it today. It must be serious.

[Marbot]

The plain fact is that the FIA aren't going to call a WMSC extraordinary meeting because Nelson Piquet Snr told the FIA that his son was told to crash on purpose.As Bononi says (and some others) this is just the tip of the Iceberg.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Marbot

The plain fact is that the FIA aren't going to call a WMSC extraordinary meeting because Nelson Piquet Snr told the FIA that his son was told to crash on purpose

Surely if the Piquet's are making serious allegations against Renault, and the FIA don't call a meeting, dispite no action being taken, Renault may always be percieved to have cheated? Surely, the FIA has to call a meeting?

[Rgms320]

Jack Nicholson's soliloquy from "A Few Good Men" just popped into my mind:

"You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"

"You want me on that wall. You need me on that wall!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hopNAI8Pefg

I don't think Nicholson is doing much of anything at the moment. Maybe Flav can hire him to stand in for Piquet on the 21st.

Tom

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Surely if the Piquet's are making serious allegations against Renault, and the FIA don't call a meeting, dispite no action being taken, Renault may always be percieved to have cheated? Surely, the FIA has to call a meeting?

If the FIA could not find any other evidence/imformation to back up the 'hearsay' then no further action would be taken.This is only the same way that things are done in the 'real world'.Which suggests to me that the FIA have more than just a signed statement from Piquet Jnr.

[paddy]

If I remember correctly when Jake Humphreys interviewed Max he (Max) referred to the "loonies" and said that Flav was the leader and wanted to run F1. Maybe this is payback time for Flav? We have seen before that once the FIA get you in their cross hairs your number is up.

[Mekola]

Also I suspect that Nelson Sr., due to his connections, could be the person who could have opened to Flav the doors to Bernie's friendship... Perhaps could be the man who could close that friendship, too?

[jab]

A chat with Max

Originally Posted by Autosport

Mosley confirmed that the most severe penalty of total exclusion from the world championship was a possibility if Renault was found guilty, and he clarified that it was now too late for the result of last year's Singapore Grand Prix or world championship to be changed.

No first win for Rosberg, then

[strider]

Further quote from Max:

Mosley has confirmed that Piquet himself has been promised immunity from being punished over the matter, as part of the deal for him providing evidence.

"We have said to him that, and I don't know exactly how it was phrased, but he has been told that if he tells us the truth then he will not be proceeded against individually," he said. "It is exactly the same as it was for Alonso [in the McLaren case in 2007]."

[Born Racer]

Exclusion from this year's championship would be a rubbish punishment for Renault a la Schumacher 1997. They've had a poor year and would probably count themselves fortunate were that to happen.

A huge fine or exclusion from next year's championship would be a better idea.

[jab]

If Renault are excluded from next year's championship, they will leave the sport for good. And the FIA won't want that

[Born Racer]

Yes sadly such considerations will most likely be taken, rather than solely assessing the situation.

[strider]

Other things are riding on this, such as who will supply Williams with engines? Toyota after all?

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by jab

If Renault are excluded from next year's championship, they will leave the sport for good. And the FIA won't want that

I think if they're found guilty of this, then they'll leave the sport. As Max said, this is worse than cheating because its fraud and it puts people's lives at risk. Let's not forget... Renault's not just a team with sponsors... its a large automobile company.

Mods... should this thread be merged with the other one discussing the same subject ?