FORMULA 1 2009

[OZCUBAN]

Beleaguered Button needs to get back on track

Jenson Button will have left Belgium a relieved man on Sunday night after he yet again escaped from a poor weekend with minimal damage to his championship lead.

After a qualifying a quite dreadful 14th, the Englishman expected his title rivals Rubens Barrichello, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel to make up some serious ground.

Instead, Button's team-mate Barrichello - who had qualified 10 places further up the grid - clawed back only two points. The Brazilian is now 16 points behind Button with a maximum of 50 still available.

And while Vettel finished third, that served only to leapfrog him ahead of Webber into third place in the championship - still 19 points off the lead. Webber, whose hopes of a strong finish were hit by a drive-through penalty for an unsafe release from a pit stop, finished ninth, out of the points.

For Button, it could have been so much worse.

He was always going to have a retirement at some point or another this season, and it came on the first lap at Spa as he was tipped into a spin by Renault new-boy Romain Grosjean. As Button himself pointed out, if you qualify that far down, you are always more likely to get caught up in trouble.

By then, though, Button had already received some good news. Barrichello - who was starting fourth, 10 places ahead of Button - had crawled off the grid and was down to 15th by the end of the first lap. From there, he did well to score some points.

But hot on the heels of Button's relief that his rivals seem incapable of capitalising on his problems, there will nevertheless be a deep concern that the wheels are coming off his title challenge and that he appears to be able to do nothing about it.

Button's six wins in seven races at the start of the season seem a very long time ago. Spa was the fifth consecutive race in which Button failed to finish on the podium. And, with the exception of the European Grand Prix at Valencia the previous weekend, the Brawn car has been off the pace of the leaders at all of them.

It is no more than good fortune that in that time not one of Barrichello, Vettel and Webber has put together a concerted assault on his lead. Rather, they appear to still be scrapping for primacy among themselves.

Sooner or later, though, that will surely change unless Button can find his form, and right now that looks like a distant prospect.

Button had his fifth poor race in a row in Belgium at the weekend

Team boss Ross Brawn said after the Belgian race that he was optimistic the cars would be quick at the next event, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza - the track demands good braking and traction, which are strong points of the Brawn car.

Whether that would necessarily mean a return to the front for Button is another matter. Brawn were on the pace in Valencia, after all, but Button finished only seventh there while Barrichello won.

The reasons for the 29-year-old's slump are complex and multi-faceted.

Prime among them, it seems, is the way the Brawn car works its tyres. It is very gentle on them, which was an advantage at some of the early-season races, but has been anything but more recently.

After winning the Turkish Grand Prix on 7 June, Button struggled in Britain and Germany where, in the cool temperatures, his car could not heat up its tyres enough to get them into their operating range, causing a catastrophic lack of grip.

Brawn were expecting things to go better in Hungary, where it was hotter, but they again suffered the same problems and by now there were the first signs that the frustration was getting to Button. "How," he was heard saying on the radio during the race, "can this car be so bad at the moment?"

After that race, Ross Brawn admitted that the team might have lost its way and promised an investigation. They arrived for the next race in Valencia hoping they had found the solution. But while the hot conditions in Spain meant they had no problems with their tyres, they have re-emerged in Spa again this weekend.

Button is affected more by this phenomenon than Barrichello because his silky driving style is easier on the tyres.

Button's failure to join his team-mate at the front in Valencia, though, was nothing to do with that. It was caused by the second of the problems afflicting him - his own mind-set.

Button himself denies he is suffering from 'title tension' but most observers would disagree. In Valencia, the man who had until then been virtually flawless made a mistake in qualifying and lined up only fifth. He was then caught up in a couple of early tangles, and was down in ninth by the end of the first lap.

Shortly after arriving at Spa on Thursday, Button had a bit of a row with the British newspaper journalists when he was interrogated about his poor run of form. The questioning was designed to provoke him, but the serene Button of earlier in the season would not have taken the bait.

Even Button's team boss intimated on Sunday that Button was feeling the pressure.

"There's a lot of pressure on drivers," Brawn said. "This is pressure he's not had before and he's got to get used to it, but he's handling it well."

The third reason for Button's backwards progress is the development rate of the other teams. Brawn started the season with an advantage of close to a second a lap over the rest of the field. If at that point it looked as if they would walk the championship, the others were always going to close the gap. The surprising thing has been how dramatically they have done so.

It is always the case that the team that starts a season with the best car can make less progress because they are closer to the ultimate potential of the rules. But usually when a team starts with that big a performance advantage, it is not closed as quickly as it has been in this case. And there are those who wonder whether that is related to the fact that Brawn, whose car has no sponsorship on it, are juggling their resources more than other teams need to.

It is well known that they have enough money to last this season - and team insiders insist they have found sponsorship for 2010, although they will not say where it is from. But that is not necessarily the same as having as much money as, say, McLaren or Red Bull.

Looking at all that, it is easy to see how Button might be feeling a bit a beleaguered. But perhaps he should take a step back for a minute and look at the reality of his situation.

Despite all his problems, Button still heads into the final five races of the season with a 16-point lead over a guy in the same car - and a 19-point lead over a man who, despite having a quicker car, has managed to close that gap by only seven points in the last four races.

That in itself should be enough to give him the tranquillity he needs to approach the denouement of the season in the right frame of mind. Looking at it like that, in fact, you could even be forgiven for thinking that it is Button's destiny to win this championship.

But Button has been around far too long to be thinking like that. He knows the championship is there to be won - and that there is a long way to go before that happens.

He also knows that if he does not get himself together sooner rather than later, the title that seemed to be his for the taking could slip through his fingers.

Oz Like i said earlier Jenson has been lucky so far lets hope he does not drop the ball so close to the finish line he deserves better

[MIKA27]

Good prediction Mika! Enjoyed the race yesterday. Although not a Fisi fan, its always nice when an underdog team manages a podium just from its own strength and not due to other teams' misfortunes. Force India had a well deserved second place and congrats to them!

Thanks Magste!

I agree with your comment in that an underdog has been so successful especially when their own strengths have assisted such a wonderful outcome and not where the 'Top dogs' have all DNF'd, obviously, (Such as Webbers 1st season in Melbourne's 2002 GP driving for Minardi and placed 5th) this was not the case at all.

It truly is moments like this fantastic race at Spa that makes F1 such a fantastic sport.

To think this year almost had me lost, an avid F1 fanatic, with all the politics between FOTA, FIA and now the season has flourished with so many winners, I am glad things have panned out so well.

It will be interesting to see if Button can get his game together, bad luck with Spa but very fortunate (As mentioned by OZ ) in that the winners were not near in points to out score Button otherwise, Jense can drop the ball completely and watch his hopes slide from his grasp.

Here's to the rest of the season and thanks for reading and input bud!

[MIKA27]

Mallya 'shocked' by Fisi's success

Force India tycoon Vijay Mallya was left "in a state of shock" after Giancarlo Fisichella broke the team's Formula One points duck at Spa.

The usually-ebullient Mallya appeared somewhat subdued despite Fisichella's second place from pole in the Belgian Grand Prix, finishing just 0.9 seconds behind Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

In their 30th race, Force India were on the podium two years ahead of Mallya's stated ambition as he had previously set such a target by the time of the Indian Grand Prix in 2011.

"As you well know, this is our first real year in Formula One as Force India," remarked Mallya.

"Last year all we did was race the Spyker car because we bought the team at the end of 2007, and in 2008 it was the same Spyker package, the same management team, the same engineering.

"Then we revamped everything and designed and built this car, and I think since Australia it's fair to say we haven't been the laggards at the back.

"We've been a good midfield team and improving all the time, and we went into this race again hoping for points.

"Then when pole showed up we were ecstatic, and clearly we are ecstatic today with the podium finish."

Despite his comment, Mallya was anything but ecstatic, so when asked as to why he was not, the owner of the Kingfisher empire added: "I'm in a bit of a state of shock actually.

"We are still a small team, but obviously we are a good enough team to be on the podium and score some points, so obviously I am very happy.

"The pole was the first real breakthrough, a little surprising, but a very pleasant surprise.

"Starting from pole I was quietly confident we would be in the points that have literally eluded us for a long time.

"We were distinctly unlucky in three previous races in which we should have been in the points, but the podium is obviously a bonus."

MIKA: It is one thing to come second place, so very close to P1 in the end, but to read mallya's reaction truly shows us all how humble this guy is. Mallya himself is a true fan of F1, sure, all managers and team owners are, but this guy isn't all about the 'Buck' but his love for the sport.

Mallya has built force India from the ground up but unlike many who generally focus on their engines, Mallya focused on his aero package where team engineering matters most. Another great example to prove my case is Adrian Neweys RBR team this season and last. Newey is 'The guy' when it comes to Aero engineering, everyone wants this guy and with teams such as Williams and McLaren having Championship winning cars, that speaks for itself.

[MIKA27]

Well said Mika

It makes you wonder how he even got the test drivers job

Oz

I KNOW!!

I am the last to be so harsh but this guy MUST GO, he really is

The latest news on Bad-oer is that he almost begging Scuderia to retain him for Monza as he is confident he can score points.

Doesn't this guy have any dignity!?

[MIKA27]

'Renault look to Kimi for Alonso replacement'

Renault have reportedly held talks with Kimi Raikkonen regarding the Finn coming on board as Fernando Alonso's replacement.

With Alonso reportedly off to Ferrari, Raikkonen has already made it clear that if he's without a job at Ferrari he will look to other teams for a 2010 race-seat.

And one of those teams could be Renault with reports in the French media claiming that a deal with mobile phone company Nokia could see Raikkonen make a straight swap with Alonso.

Although the 2007 World Champion is rumoured to have already said no to one offer from Renault, the Anglo/French squad could yet persuade him with the help of Finnish company Nokia.

Not only will Nokia's potential sponsorship mean Renault has the money needed to move up the order but the deal could appeal to Raikkonen's sense of patriotism.

MIKA: I've heard Kimi a few occasions state he's not leaving Ferrari but thus far we all know that's a load of BS.

Contracts don't mean anything in F1 when teams can just pay you out if they don't want you around. I think Renault would be a great team for Kimi to head over to, but I have also heard rumors McLaren are also keen on Kimi regardless of the past. New management, more stability.

In the end, no matter what team Kimi moves to, good or bad, Kimi should not be taken on board unless he can guarantee his heart is in the sport of F1.

[MIKA27]

Toyota 'staying' in Formula One

Toyota will not be quitting F1 at the end of the season although the team will face a huge reduction in finances, that's the word coming in from Japan.

There had been some concerns that the Japanese manufacturer could follow Honda and BMW out of the sport after the F1 team was told that their budget won't be signed off until mid-November.

Those fears, though, are reportedly unfounded.

"The message from Tokyo is that we will be staying in F1 - and Toyota remains committed to the sport. However, there will likely be big budget cuts," a source told Autosport.

Toyota's big bosses are scheduled to hold a board meeting in Tokyo on November 15 where they will confirm the team's 2010 budget, although reports claim it could be cut by as much as 40 percent.

[MIKA27]

'Liuzzi set to replace Fisichella'

Although Force India are remaining hush, the team will reportedly announce that Tonio Liuzzi will replace Giancarlo Fisichella for the remainder of the season.

On Thursday, Force India agreed to allow Fisichella to swap to Ferrari in a deal that will see the Italian race for the Scuderia for the remaining five races of the Championship before becoming their test driver for the 2010 season.

The decision has left Force India in need of a new driver to partner Adrian Sutil with reports claiming test driver Liuzzi will take the role.

Force India, however, are staying quiet for now.

"A decision regarding the driver of car number 21 will be made in the coming days and no further comment will be made on this front," the team said in a statement.

But whoever the team decides to sign team owner Vijay Mallya is confident that Force India has a bright future.

"For Force India, this sport is a team effort and removing one part, even a major one, will not significantly affect our performance," said Mallya.

"The competitiveness of the team seen in Belgium was a result of hard work in the factory and wind tunnel and we have further developments coming for the final races, so we are confident this momentum can be sustained.

"We are now looking forward to a strong finish to the season."

MIKA: I believe Force India will do well with Liuzzi. He has F1 experience, and shown he is better than Scott Speed, but not as good as Sebastian vettel. Tonio won one race in A1GP, in the only chance he had to race in that second rate series earlier this year. Liuzzi can jump start his F1 career if he scores some points with Force India.

[MIKA27]

'Piquet's people ratted out Renault'

Nelson Piquet Jr himself or those close to him are believed to the source behind the FIA's investigation into Renault's actions in Singapore last year.

Earlier this week the FIA announced that Renault would face an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council to answer charges under Article 151c of the International Sporting Code relating to last year's inaugural night race.

The FIA have accused Renault of having 'conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso.'

The charges come also a full year after the grand prix took place, prompting some speculation as to why now.

And according to The Times, it all stems from Renault's recent sacking of Piquet Jr.

'It is believed the FIA was originally informed of allegations that the Renault team asked Piquet to crash in an attempt to help Alonso, who won the race, by sources close to Piquet, if not by Piquet himself, after his recent dismissal from the team,' the newspaper claims.

In the wake of the allegations, the FIA employed Quest to investigate with the private intelligence agency looking into the incident.

'Investigators have conducted extensive interviews with Renault team members - among them the team principal, Flavio Briatore, who has told friends he knew nothing of the alleged plans, Pat Symonds, the engineering director, and Alonso,' the newspaper continued

'Investigators have also looked at telemetry from Piquet's car and radio transmissions from the Renault pitwall to the Brazilian's car during the race up until the moment he crashed on lap 14. It is thought the radio recordings could be significant in the outcome of the case and may show that Piquet was regularly questioning his pitwall about which lap he was on immediately before the crash.'

Should Renault be found guilty the team could face exclusion and suspension, although many believe they could be banned from Formula One entirely.

MIKA: Interesting outcome, it seems pieces of 'a' puzzle are falling into place and perhaps that is the reason Piquet Jr WAS sacked?

I think its good he told the FIA, let's not forget what Alonso did to McLaren, they would have got away with it if it was'nt for Alonso. Perhaps Briatore hopefuly he'll get his racing license taken from him for a year and Renault are thown out? Never did like Flabio or should I say Flavio.

[MIKA27]

'Massa thought Piquet crash was strange'

Reports in the Brazilian media claim that Felipe Massa locked horns with Flavio Briatore in the immediate aftermath of last year's Singapore GP over Nelson Piquet Jr's crash.

Piquet Jr crashed just two laps after his team-mate Fernando Alonso, who was short-fuelled by Renault as they gambled on a Safety Car, stopped for fuel. The ensuing Safety Car situation saw Alonso leap up the order and he eventually went on to win the race.

And although at the time Piquet's crash seemed fortuitous for Alonso, TV Globo reporter Reginaldo Leme claims Massa immediately suspected foul play and confronted Renault team boss Briatore.

"He crashed in a very strange way. It struck me when I was talking recently with Felipe Massa. Felipe had gone to Briatore and said, 'This crash was not right, it happened because you wanted it to,'" said Leme.

Now, almost a full year after the grand prix, Renault have been called before the World Motor Sport Council to answer charges relating to that Singapore crash.

In Friday's statement, motorsport's governing body's said the team must answer charges that they 'conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso.'

MIKA: I'm surprised Williams are keeping quiet on this seeing Nico Rosberg came second in that race in Singapore and Hamilton third....

[MIKA27]

Domenicali: Kimi's future still up in the air

Stefano Domenicali has refused to comment on rumours that Kimi Raikkonen is nearing the end of his Ferrari career, insisting the Finn's future has yet to be decided.

According to reports, Raikkonen is set to make away for Fernando Alonso at the end of this year's Championship with some even speculating that the Scuderia are willing to pay more than £10million to buy the Finn out of his contract.

Domenicali, though, is refusing to talk about the reports, other than to say that Raikkonen has a deal for next year's Championship.

He added that the Italian marque is also happy with his recent results, which have seen Raikkonen claim four podium finishes in the last four grands prix.

"I think that, as we have said, we don't want to discuss this now, because I don't think it is correct," Domenicali told Autosport.

"As you know, Kimi has a contract with us next year, and this is what we can say now. We are happy with the performance of Kimi because he is playing fantastically, he is driving very, very well.

"The team is very, very happy in the way that he is performing - above all in the second part of the season when I have to say that with the last few races, he was always on the podium and he scored, I think after (Rubens) Barrichello, the highest points, who is fighting for the Championship."

Raikkonen's string of podium finishes have seen him not only put distance between himself and Nico Rosberg in the standings but he's also taken a huge chunk out of fourth-placed Mark Webber's advantage.

The Finn is just 11.5-points behind the Red Bull racer and could catch him if his run of top-three finishes continues.

"I hope that we can be on the podium in the next four races. I think that he can do it," Domenicali said.

"Kimi is very, very good, he can do it. And with a performance that we really do not understand where all the different teams are, so if you are able as a team to maximise the performance then we can really be on the podium in the last four races for sure.

"I think that Kimi, as we have seen in the second part of the season, he is really very, very strong, very consistent, always on the podium and always there.

"For sure he has improved significantly but he is the Kimi that we know - he is the Kimi who was world champion with us two years ago, so we know that they can do that."

MIKA: You are only 'Loved' by your team when you win (World champion in 2008) but forsaken when you dont earn enough points the next season.

Now that Massa has been out of the picture, look how Kimi flourishes. Perhaps Kimi works better when the team place others first from time to time?

Iceman unleashed.

[MIKA27]

Jense: Rubens doesn't know his a*** from his elbow

As the title race looks to comes down to a straight fight between Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, the Brawn GP team-mates are keen to ensure things remain friendly - at least off the track.

Barrichello's victory in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, his second of the season, saw him move to within 14 points of his team-mate in this year's Championship race.

The Brawn GP drivers, though, aren't the only two still in with a shot as even though Red Bull's drivers are more than 25 points behind Button, with four races to go anything can still happen.

But that's just maths because as things stand the title appears to be going to Brawn GP, it's just a case of which of the two wins it.

Already the Brawn duo have been urged by their team boss, Ross Brawn, to "compete fairly and openly. Everything has got to be on top of the table, they have got to work together fairly - they are old enough to deal with it!"

And if their banter during the Italian post-race press conference is anything to go by, Brawn will get his wish.

Asked whether it was possible to remain friends with each other, Button said: "I don't know.

"I've put on a brave face lately but I absolutely hate this guy! He doesn't know his a*** from his elbow when it comes to racing cars! Is this more fun or...?"

He continued: "No, we've got a good relationship and we've been team-mates for many years now. We're working together, we've had to pull our car to the front, we will see how it goes from here, but I think we're still going to be sharing information because there's always the possibility that the Red Bulls will be strong, you never know, and we might have some bad luck.

"But when we go on the circuit we're obviously fierce rivals. We're not going to give up until the end.

"I've obviously got the advantage of 14 points; it's got smaller at the last couple of races but Rubens is going to be a very tough rival for sure. He's skilled behind the wheel, as we've seen for many years and he's been able to show his talent.

"Yeah, it's going to be a tough few races, but it's an exciting challenge."

Barrichello also insisted that co-operation between the two sides of the garage will continue as while they need to be tough out on the track, respecting one another is also very important.

"There's that old saying that you can only win in Formula One if you're tough. We're both nice guys, so this is the end of it! I think the best thing in life is respect," said the 37-year-old.

"Obviously, when we're finding that the softer spring or the harder spring is the better thing for the car, you go to the other side of the garage and tell them that's what you have found. But it's an open book there.

"We have our meetings and we both go through the check list at the same time, live, so we both can hear. At the end of the day, the cars get very similar but that's fine, that's how it is."

MIKA: If RB keeps heading at the pace he has been and JB seriously doesn't focus and look at the silver platter he has been handed since his excellent start to this this season, I seriously believe Rubens can take this title from under Jenses nose.

It's a shame because both guys seem like great men and as afan of F1, it would be great if more drivers behaved in this fashion rather than acting precious (Alonso!) or un-fussed (Kimi).

It is great to see however, Kimi's progress, it mixes everything up but if RB and JB keep their cool, they will clinch the drivers (There can be only one) and the constructors championships.

[MIKA27]

Rubens: I'd beat Schumi out of a tiger cage

Rubens Barrichello reckons if him and Michael Schumacher were in a tiger cage together, he would be the one walking away.

Barrichello has often been billed as one of the nice guys in the Formula One paddock, however, as the saying goes: 'good guys finish last'.

But the Brazilian reckons he can break that mould this season as he tries to wrestle the World title away from his Brawn GP team-mate Jenson Button, who has a 14-point lead with four races to go.

Trying to explain his toughness on the track, Barrichello went for a rather amusing explanation involving his former seven-time World Champion team-mate Michael Schumacher.

"Michael might have more skill than I had, but if you threw both of us into a jail with a tiger I might get out alive - I'm not sure about him," said the 37-year-old.

MIKA: Ok....WTF!?

Rubens is a great guy BUT, the s**t that comes out of this guys mouth when he is on 'Cloud nine' is unbelievable.

There is NO comparrison between Schumacher and Rubens period. MS was and still is a 7 time world champion, RB is still YET to win one title and even then, NO COMPARISON.

Besides.... The reason why RB would walk out of the cage is because he hasn't the 'stones' it takes to go 'all the way' whereas MS always did. Perhaps RB doesn't realise the TIGER in the cage 'is' Michael Schumacher.

[MIKA27]

Fisi: It was a tough race

Giancarlo Fisichella admits he found it tough going in the opening stint of the Italian Grand Prix.

Fisichella finished ninth during his Ferrari debut at Monza on Sunday after starting 14th on the grid.

The Italian admits he was always going to find it difficult to score points after starting in the middle of the pack.

"We were quite close to score points today but the main problem has been my grid position, it wasn't great, so it was difficult to recover from the midfield where I was," he said.

"I did a good job and it's important with Kimi to score more points than McLaren and next race I will try my best to score more points.

"It was a tough race. My grid position was difficult, but I did a good start and I overtook a couple of cars at the start.

"Then I was struggling a little bit with a heavy car and the grip level at the beginning of the stint, but once I was getting a bit more confident I was able to be quite competitive, the same pace as the quickest car and I had the same problem with the hard tyres after the pitstop.

"I was struggling a little bit with the pace at the beginning but then at the end of the race I was doing well. It was a great feeling for me and the Ferrari fans. Hopefully the next race is going to be better."

MIKA: Considering this is his first race in a Ferrari, the media hype, expectations etc, Fisi did quite well and just missed out on a point. NOT BAD for his first stint, great drive.

[OZCUBAN]

Good post as always Mika

BMW F1 team secures Swiss buyer

German car manufacturer BMW says it has agreed to sell its Formula 1 team to Swiss-based Qadbak Investments.

BMW has been looking for a buyer for the team since it announced in July that it was pulling out of the sport at the end of the current season.

Qadbak bought Notts County FC in July through its Munto Finance company.

Earlier on Tuesday, F1's governing body gave BMW Sauber "14th place" on the grid next year, meaning they are first reserves to fill any vacancy.

The FIA has announced the expansion of the F1 grid to 13 teams for next season, with Lotus, Campos GP, Manor and US F1 all joining.

The team expects to line up on the grid for the first race of the 2010 season

BMW statement

However, it will be "consulting urgently" with the 10 existing teams with a view to increasing the number of teams to 14.

There are also doubts over the F1 future of current teams Renault and Toyota.

Renault are embroiled in a race-fixing controversy while Toyota insist they are not signing off their F1 budget until November.

Despite previous doubts over its future, the FIA described BMW's application as "high quality" and a team statement said: "We are pleased to confirm that the FIA has indicated that we may have a place in the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship.

"The team expects to line up on the grid for the first race of the 2010 season."

BMW, which took over Sauber in 2005, announced in July it was pulling out of the sport at the end of the season citing "current developments in motorsport" as the reason for the decision.

Founder Peter Sauber, who holds a 20% stake in the team, tried to buy the team last month but negotiations collapsed after he said BMW's demands were "far too high".

BMW has not revealed financial details of the deal it has agreed with Qadbak, a company which it described as representing the interests of "certain Middle Eastern and European-based families".

"A strong investor has therefore been found for the Hinwil-based team," added the statement. "Qadbak's interest in the team will be represented by Lionel Fischer, a Swiss national."

When the Qadbak-owned Munto Finanace bought League Two side Notts County in the summer, they wiped out debts of £1m when taking over from a supporters' trust and made Championship football their five-year target.

They have made a statement of intent by installing former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson as their director of football while former Spurs, Arsenal and Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell has also moved to Meadow Lane.

BMW Sauber finished third behind Ferrari and McLaren in last year's constructors' championship but have had a disappointing 2009 so far.

They are currently lying in seventh place with the team claiming only one podium finish all season.

Drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica are 13th and 15th respectively in the drivers' standings.

Oz This is good news while not a BMW fan the last thing we need in F-1 is more teams pulling out especially road car manufacturers the more the merrier i say.as roadcar buyers we will be the winners as this f-1 technology filters down

Cheers Oz

[OZCUBAN]

Lotus will return to F1 in 2010

Racing legend Jim Clark won both his world titles with Lotus in 1963 and 1965

Lotus are to return to Formula 1 next season for the first time since 1994.

The Malaysian-funded outfit have been awarded the final grid spot and join Campos GP, Manor and US F1 as one of four new teams for 2010.

The FIA has given current team BMW Sauber "14th place" for next season, meaning they are now first reserves.

However, motorsport's governing body says it will "consult urgently" with the 10 existing teams to expand the grid from 13 to 14 teams for 2010.

"The FIA believes that a good case can be made for expanding the grid to 14 teams," read an FIA statement released on Tuesday.

Lotus will uphold traditions - Gascoyne

"It will be consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first Grand Prix in 2010."

The Lotus team will be initially based in Norfolk, though its future design, research and development, manufacturing and technical centre will be purpose built at Malaysia's Sepang International circuit.

In its new incarnation the team is a partnership between the Malaysian Government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs.

It will be led by team principal Tony Fernandes, the founder of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, which owns the Air Asia airline.

Mike Gascoyne - who has 20 years experience in the sport after working with Jordan, Renault, Toyota, and most recently Force India - returns to F1 as the team's technical director.

"We are not just a small new team, we have the possibilities to be a very substantial team," Gascoyne told BBC Sport. "And the FIA recognise that, combined with the name and that we're also a team based outside Europe.

Moss glad to see return of Lotus

"When you look at the calendar now, the centre of F1 is changing. With all that's happening in the sport, this is a very good news story for F1.

"Next year will be a huge challenge… we will be releasing the car late, and that has reliability aspects. But we'll target being the best of the new cars on the grid and I would hope by mid-season we are challenging the bottom rung of the current teams. That's achievable."

Asked about the exact involvement of Lotus Cars, the original company behind Lotus who are now owned by Malaysian carmaker Proton, Gascoyne added: "That has to be defined and it's under discussion with Proton and Tony Fernandes.

"I think we'll be able to clarify that in the coming days."

A statement from the Malaysian Government read: "The team will announce its two drivers by October 31 2009. Currently six local and international drivers have been selected," said

And Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak added: "This is not only a dream, it is a reality. Malaysia is part of Formula 1 and we are determined to do our best to make our mark in this arena.

"I believe this is a meaningful development that will boost Malaysia's image."

It will be wonderful to see the Lotus marque again but the big question is which drivers can they get?

Tenordrumman

Just three hours after the Lotus return was confirmed by the FIA on Tuesday, BMW Sauber revealed Swiss-based Qadbak Investments had agreed to buy its team.

The German car manufacturer, which took over Sauber in 2005, had said it would withdraw from F1 at the end of July, citing "current developments in motorsport" as the reason for their decision.

BMW was the second major manufacturer to announce it was leaving the sport after Honda's withdrawal eight months earlier.

But the FIA said it had received an "impressive application" from the team despite the uncertainties over its future ownership.

BMW Sauber's reserve slot means they can fill any vacancy that might occur between now and the start of the 2010 championship.

The organisation behind the new Lotus team have bought the rights to the name Team Lotus - which competed in F1 from 1958 through to 1994 - and have been awarded BMW's place, also pushing out Spanish outfit Epsilon Euskadi, following an intensive selection and due diligence process conducted by the FIA.

Senna wins the 1986 Spanish GP in a Lotus

The team won seven constructors' crowns and six drivers' championships, including wins by Britons Jim Clark and Graham Hill, during their golden era in the 1960s and '70s.

Three-time world champion, the late Ayrton Senna, drove for Lotus for three seasons between 1985 and 1987 - although the team enjoyed limited success during that period.

Lotus withdrew from F1 in 1994 because of financial pressures but remains the fourth most successful constructor of all time.

Oz This is good news to see one of the legendary names in F-1 return albeit not in british hands but i guess those days are long gone

Cheers Oz

[OZCUBAN]

Briatore out over Renault fix row

Flavio Briatore has left his position as boss of the Renault team after they decided not to contest charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Executive director of engineering Pat Symonds has also left the team.

Renault were summoned by governing body, the FIA, after Nelson Piquet Jr claimed he had been asked to crash to help team-mate Fernando Alonso's race.

An FIA spokesperson confirmed a World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris on Monday would go ahead.

Renault have been called to answer charges that they "conspired with Nelson Piquet Jr to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso".

The hearing will attempt to attribute responsibility for the Singapore "crash-gate" despite the departure of Briatore and Symonds.

Briatore has lost his job over the Singapore race-fix charge

The FIA could still impose sanctions if Renault are found guilty, including excluding the team from the championship, although that must be considered unlikely given the two people Piquet said were responsible have now left the team.

When asked for his thoughts on Briatore's demise, Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said: "Well, I feel sorry for him actually.

"Obviously, I am surprised at what has happened, and I am taken by surprise today that they've decided to walk away."

Piquet crashed in Singapore two laps after Alonso had come in for a routine pit stop.

That meant that when race officials sent out the safety car to clear up the debris from Piquet's car, Alonso was alone among the front-runners in not having to stop for fuel and tyres.

Renault's double world champion went on to take the chequered flag at Formula 1's inaugural night race and claim the team's first victory in two years.

At the time, Piquet attributed the crash to a simple error, but after being dropped by the team after July's Hungary GP the race-fixing allegations emerged.

The Brazilian has since testified to the FIA that he was instructed by Briatore and Symonds when and where to crash.

Renault's response was to accuse the 24-year-old and his father Nelson Piquet of false allegations and blackmail, going as far as saying they would begin legal action against them.

But on Wednesday the team said in a statement they would "not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix".

The statement added: "The team also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team."

BBC pundit and former team boss Eddie Jordan said he was surprised by Renault's announcement but believes it was effectively an admission of guilt.

F1 has long been notorious for its skewed sense of morality, and it appears that may be what has led to this latest scandal

"Suggesting they are not going to contest the allegations is in itself an admission," Jordan told the BBC.

"I don't know what goes on in teams, and certainly in the Jordan team you would contemplate all sorts of things, but you certainly couldn't contemplate that."

It remains to be seen whether this latest controversy, and the exit of Briatore and Symonds, will affect Renault's decision to stay in Formula 1.

Briatore had denied speculation that the French team's future was under threat and the team have signed a new Concorde Agreement to stay in F1 until 2012.

But this latest controversy, coupled with a decline in cars sales, could yet have repercussions for the staff of around 700, who are are employed at the team's headquarters in Enstone, in Oxfordshire, and Viry-Chatillon in Paris.

Former grand prix winner John Watson told the BBC: "The fact that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have left the team was the only solution to Renault.

Symonds was Michael Schumacher's race engineer in the 1990s

"A company on the scale of Renault, a world-scale motor company could not afford to have a scandal of this magnitude rattling around in the boardroom."

As it is, Renault's statement appears to end the F1 career of two of the sport's best-known protagonists.

Briatore became Benetton team principal in 1988 and when Renault bought Benetton in 2000 to run under its own moniker, the 59-year-old Italian was chosen to lead the team.

Symonds started his F1 career in 1981 at the Toleman team, which morphed into Benetton and Renault, and worked his way though the ranks to become executive director of engineering in 2001.

Briatore was also heavily involved in the teams' association Fota, as it sought to reach an agreement on the future of the sport with the FIA this season.

Oz Well this is a shocker not what i was expected though on a personal note i am not sad to see him go( Briatore) never been a fan although he has made a sizable contribution over the years,it will be interesting to see what now happens to Renault will they stay and will they go "watch this space".

Cheers Oz

[OZCUBAN]

Briatore bows out in unsavoury style

Flavio Briatore's departure from his position as the boss of the Renault team in the wake of the Singapore race-fixing scandal robs Formula 1 of one of its most flamboyant and controversial characters.

The 59-year-old Italian, who has cultivated an image as a jet-setting playboy businessman, left his position as team principal after Renault decided not to contest charges that they had asked their driver Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately crash in last year's Singapore Grand Prix to aid team-mate Fernando Alonso's chances of winning the race.

The allegation has rocked F1 to the core, the latest damaging episode for a sport that has recently suffered a number of cases that have brought its integrity into question.

There was the 'spy scandal' of 2007, when McLaren were found to illegally have possession of confidential technical information about the car of rivals Ferrari. McLaren were fined $100m (then £49m) and thrown out of the constructors' championship for that.

Shortly afterwards, Renault themselves escaped punishment after being found guilty of a similar charge.

Since then there has been 'lie-gate', when Lewis Hamilton, the world champion, was found to have misled stewards over his actions in this year's Australian Grand Prix, and numerous rows over rules and politics.

Earlier this year, F1 was in danger of being torn apart when a group of eight teams threatened to break away and set up a rival championship.

This one trumps the lot, though.

Briatore formed a close relationship with F1 impresario Bernie Ecclestone

Some people inside F1 have attempted to play it down, suggesting that teams are always looking for the 'unfair advantage' in their attempt to win, and that it should just be accepted as part of the sport.

But F1 has long been notorious for its skewed sense of morality, and it appears that may be what has led to this latest scandal. For that is exactly what it is.

The attempt to gain an unfair advantage is only one aspect of what is so wrong about what appears to have happened in Singapore last September.

In essence, what we are talking about here - if they are found guilty at Monday's hearing of the FIA's world motorsport council - is a team that was prepared to put at risk their driver's safety - and that of his competitors, marshals and the spectators at the race - in an attempt to engineer a better result for another driver.

It smacks of desperation, which is odd because Alonso, at least, was competitive in Singapore that weekend. Renault had been having a dreadful year, but changes to their car had made it a front-runner by that late stage of the season, and he was down in 15th on the grid only because of a mechanical problem in qualifying. He went on to win the following race in Japan with a quite brilliant drive.

Whatever sparked the decision for Piquet to crash on purpose in order to engineer a safety car period that would benefit Alonso - and who knows whether the truth will ever come out - two of F1's most prominent and brilliant figures have lost their jobs over it. Engineer and strategist Pat Symonds has also been forced out of Renault along with Briatore.

As it happens, Briatore's downfall may not be entirely unconnected with the political battles that have scarred much of this season. Certainly most people within F1 believe the one has come out of the other.

The Formula 1 Teams' Association (Fota) ultimately won its battle with Max Mosley, president of governing body the FIA, over the future direction of F1. But Mosley, forced to agree that he would not run again for president in October's elections in order to get Fota back on board, has never been one to take defeat lightly.

There are plenty of people in F1 who believe he has taken his opportunity to exact revenge for his defeat. After all, Briatore was one of the hawks in that battle - to the point that Mosley was moved to describe him as a "loony".

Briatore's business career first took off when he established Benetton in North America in the 1980s - a move which made him a very rich man. His first involvement in F1 came in 1988, when he was employed to run the commercial side of the company's racing team, quickly being promoted to team boss.

It was there that he first met Symonds.

Along with the brilliant technical director Ross Brawn, the designer Rory Byrne and the hard-nosed manager Tom Walkinshaw, Briatore set about turning the team into a major contender for wins and championships.

Briatore's genius as a team boss was his ability to realise his limitations - he understood nothing of the technical or strategic side of F1 and didn't want to - and instead focus on the commercial side of the sport.

In that sense, his presence in the sport for the last 20 years has been a valuable one. He constantly reminded his fellow team owners that F1's success - and their bank accounts - depended on the fans, not on obscure engineering excellence.

"Every meeting I go to," he would say, "people are talking about pistons and suspension. Nobody goes to a race to see that kind of thing. People come to see [Michael] Schumacher and [Ayrton] Senna racing each other."

Ironically, Mosley himself would use similar sentiments when railing against what he perceived as the short-sightedness of the teams this year.

In other ways, though, many will take a more equivocal view of Briatore's involvement in F1.

His ruthlessness was in evidence when he stole Schumacher from under Eddie Jordan's nose in 1991 and parachuted the German into one of Benetton's cars.

And the mystery surrounding his origins was heightened when a bomb went off outside his London home in 1993, something which has never been satisfactorily explained.

With Schumacher at the wheel, Benetton finally achieved their first world title in 1994, but it was a triumph overshadowed by a year of quite extraordinary controversy.

Benetton were accused of running illegal traction control, but got away with it. The FIA found the device in the Benetton cars but could not prove it had been used in races.

There were also rows over the team's official fuel rig, which had been tampered with - Walkinshaw lost his job as a result - while Schumacher was excluded from a total of four races for various transgressions by either him or the team.

After winning another world title in 1995, Schumacher left, taking Brawn and Byrne with him to Ferrari, after which Benetton entered a slow cycle of decline. Briatore was eventually replaced as boss by David Richards.

By this time, Briatore's keen eye for F1's commercial value, allied to his maverick approach, had led to a close friendship with the sport's tsar, Bernie Ecclestone. They both have a stake in Queen's Park Rangers, a club in the English Football League.

Briatore took something of a back seat for a while, running Renault's customer engine supply business for a couple of years. But a string of high-profile liaisons with supermodels, among them Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum, kept him in the public eye and enhanced his glamorous image. He has also established his own 'Billionaire' clothing brand and set up a nightclub in Sardinia, a restaurant in London, a beach club in Tuscany and a holiday resort in Kenya.

Then, when Renault bought the Benetton team in 2000, the French automotive giant re-installed him as boss and he began turning the team around again.

Just as he had done the first time, he built it around an outstanding young driver, Alonso, who had impressed Briatore with his performances in the Formula 3000 feeder series.

The Spaniard became the youngest race-winner in F1 history in 2003 - a status he lost to the German Sebastian Vettel last year - and, by 2005, was in a position to challenge for the world title. Alonso and Renault delivered in style, clinching it with two races still to go.

They followed that up with an even more impressive victory in 2006, keeping their nerve and beating Schumacher and Ferrari in a straight fight.

Alonso then left for an ill-fated year at McLaren before returning after falling out with McLaren chief Ron Dennis. But not even Alonso's return could arrest Renault's decline.

All year there has been speculation - fuelled by Mosley, who is uncomfortable about the power wielded by the manufacturers - that Renault would quit F1 at the end of this season as a result of their lack of success and declining road-car sales.

Briatore has always shrugged those allegations off, but this latest development can surely only increase the chances of Renault not being on the grid next season. On the other hand, Renault's decision to jettison Briatore and Symonds could be seen as a signal that they wish to carry on.

By the end of the year, it may not be just Briatore and Symonds who have left F1 in the wake of this latest unsavoury turn of events.

Oz I don't think it matters that Renault have ditched Symonds and Briatore, the FIA still need to come down on them like a ton of carbon fibre shards. Where this differs from "Spygate" and the Hamilton incident in Melbourne this year, is that, as Andrew says, the safety of spectators, marshals (who give their time free to risk their lives for the safety of all involved) and all the drivers was at stake. It would amaze drivers of 30 years ago to hear of drivers crashing on purpose, given the extraordinary risks involved back then, and that Renault took everyone's safety so horrifically for granted is absolutely disgusting.

They should be at least thrown out of this year's championships (without being allowed to compete in the last rounds), and stripped of the Singapore victory, whether Alonso was complicit or not (and I suspect he was not). The FIA need to show that safety is not something to be taken so lightly.

[MIKA27]

Oz I don't think it matters that Renault have ditched Symonds and Briatore, the FIA still need to come down on them like a ton of carbon fibre shards. Where this differs from "Spygate" and the Hamilton incident in Melbourne this year, is that, as Andrew says, the safety of spectators, marshals (who give their time free to risk their lives for the safety of all involved) and all the drivers was at stake. It would amaze drivers of 30 years ago to hear of drivers crashing on purpose, given the extraordinary risks involved back then, and that Renault took everyone's safety so horrifically for granted is absolutely disgusting.

They should be at least thrown out of this year's championships (without being allowed to compete in the last rounds), and stripped of the Singapore victory, whether Alonso was complicit or not (and I suspect he was not). The FIA need to show that safety is not something to be taken so lightly.

Hey OZ, great posts mate.

I couldn't have said it any better mate. I'm really pleased FB is out of F1. Whilst he did contribute to F1 over the years, he has equally caused alot of disrepute both minor and now major incidents.

I hope they now strip Alonso from his first place win and award it to Nico Rosberg (1st place), Lewis Hamilton (2nd) and Timo Glock (Third). In stating the latter, do you all believe that perhaps Alonso was involved also because if you read the damning information and transcripts, hours prior to the race, FB demanded NP Jnr crash his racer at turn 17 where there are no cranes (Whilst Alonso was in a scheduled pit stop).

I believe Alonso would have been aware of this strategy (If you can call it that).

[MIKA27]

Piquet Snr: Alonso must have known

Nelson Piquet snr insists that Fernando Alonso must have been aware of the alleged plan to have Piquet jnr purposely crash at the 2008 Singapore GP.

The former triple World Champion has implicated Alonso in the saga that could heavily taint the image of Formula One.

"Fernando knew everything. He couldn't ignore it," Piquet told Spanish newspaper Diario Sport.

The Brazilian went on to explain that, "If you are 15th on the grid at a street circuit, there is no point going out with no fuel. At most you will pass three cars and after your last stop you stay where you are. It's a senseless strategy."

Renault have been summoned to appear before the FIA's Motor Sport Council in Paris on September 21 to answer the allegations that Piquet was asked to crash his car deliberately, with the crash bringing out the safety car which allowed Alonso to claim victory in the race.

Both father and son have been vocal in their criticism of Renault following Piquet jnr's axing from the team earlier in the season, with many suggesting the pair are simply out for revenge.

Bernie Ecclestone added credence to the claims when he told the newspaper, "Nelson told me that he is going to do everything he can to destroy Briatore."

MIKA: Hmmm.... Funny that Bernie Ecclestone would make such a comment on the last sentence of this post. I understand that both Flavio and Bernie are very close friends and co-owners of Coca-Cola Championship side QPR .

[OZCUBAN]

Well said MIKA

I am still undecided on the involvement of Alonso,but common sense would tell me that if you are going to take those kinds of risks ,i would think that if you want this "Strategy"to work you need all of your "pieces"in place on the same page, you don't want any loose cannons wondering around

I suspect this sort of stuff (that has come to the fore in the last couple of seasons I.E Mclaren.)has been going on for ages in lots of different forms,but it needs to be stamped out by the F.I.A and the teams themselves.

It might be good cannon fodder for the tabloids but is seriously damaging for the sport as a whole (all tarred with the same brush) when in my opinion F-1 is as vulnerable as it has ever been now from various fronts, it needs to in a way reinvent it's self, with value for all (especially us fans),and now is as good a time as any,time will tell...... watch this space.

Cheers OZ

[OZCUBAN]

Renault blames Briatore & Symonds

Briatore lifts the constructors trophy at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix

Renault director general Patrick Pelata has laid the blame for the Formula 1 race-fixing scandal firmly at the feet of Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds.

Briatore and Symonds resigned after Renault chose not to contest charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

"Flavio Briatore considered he was morally responsible and resigned," Pelata told French radio station RTL.

"We don't want a fault by two people to reflect upon the whole company and the entire Formula 1 team."

Renault will appear before governing body, the FIA, in Paris on Monday charged with ordering former driver Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately crash in Singapore last year to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win the race.

"I don't know all the details but there was a fault and a fault requires a sanction," said Pelata.

"We will know more about the details after what will happen on Monday with the FIA. For the moment we have assumptions but it is clear that basically there was a fault."

The allegation has rocked F1 to the core, the latest damaging episode for a sport that has recently suffered a number of cases that have brought its integrity into question

Piquet crashed two laps after Alonso had come in for a routine pit-stop, meaning that when race officials sent out the safety car to clear up the debris from Piquet's car, Alonso was alone among the front-runners in not having to stop for fuel and tyres.

Renault's double world champion went on to take the chequered flag at Formula 1's inaugural night race and clinch the team's first victory in two years.

At the time, Piquet attributed the crash to a simple error, but after being dropped by the team after July's Hungary GP the race-fixing allegations emerged.

The Brazilian has since testified to the FIA that he was instructed by team principal Briatore and executive director of engineering Symonds when and where to crash.

Renault's response was to accuse the 24-year-old and his father Nelson Piquet of false allegations and blackmail, going as far as saying they would begin legal action against them.

But on Wednesday the team said in a statement they would "not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix", while team boss Briatore and executive director of engineering Symonds departed their posts.

Monday's hearing will attempt to attribute responsibility for the affair and the FIA could still impose sanctions if Renault are found guilty.

Potential punishments include excluding the team from the championship, although that must be considered unlikely given the two people Piquet said were responsible have now left the team.

Pelata would not be drawn on the French manufacturer's continuing involvement in the sport and the possibility that they could walk away.

"This is not the debate today. We will have it calmly," he added. "Formula 1 is the world's most-watched show and you have to respect that. Formula One has been in the vanguard of progress for car technology.

"It is probably not the case at the moment, but it could be again and it is always what Renault have tried to do."

Symonds was Renault's director of engineering

Meanwhile, ex-Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine feels there has been an overreaction to the charges being levelled at Renault.

"Formula 1 has always been a war and in war all is fair," the former Jordan and Ferrari driver told BBC Radio 5 live. "When I was in various teams you would do anything to win. Back in the day it was normal.

"This is probably slightly on the wrong side of the cheating thing but in days past every team have done whatever they could to win - cheat, bend the rules, break the rules, sabotage opponents. This is just the FIA going on a crusade."

The Northern Irishman also believes that if Renault are found guilty, the FIA will deal with them leniently.

"Formula One cannot afford to lose more teams. For me, it will be a massaged court where the fine will be reduced in order not to scare Renault away.

"There are several teams in the sport that are looking shaky and they cannot afford to kick Renault out of Formula 1."

The 1996 world champion Damon Hill added that the case is not a good episode for the sport.

"There have clearly been some issues in the sport recently and there is a lot of soul-searching to be done," he said.

"It is a huge sport with a huge amount of interest and sometimes controversies add to the interest but you want it to be for the right reasons.

"I'm concerned that the sport is going to suffer as a genuine challenge of skill and competitiveness."

We will have to wait and see

Cheers Oz

[MIKA27]

'Kimi has an agreement with McLaren'

A dispute with Ferrari over his salary is the only thing holding up Kimi Raikkonen's return to McLaren, according to a report.

Raikkonen's position at the Italian team is under threat with continued rumours claiming that Fernando Alonso will be taking his race-seat next season.

The Finn, who drove for McLaren from 2002 until 2006, has previously stated that he is prepared to go to another team next year if Ferrari decide to get rid of him.

"If for some reason I am not at Ferrari next season I know I'll have a seat at another team in the paddock," he recently told the British press.

The Mirror reports that a move back to McLaren is in line for Raikkonen.

'Paddock sources say the Finn, 29, has signed an outline agreement to return.

'But first he has to settle a dispute with his current employers. He is refusing to step down unless he is paid all of his 2010 £30m salary.'

Engine supplier Mercedes, though, is thought to be in favour of a move for Williams' Nico Rosberg.

'The deal could explain McLaren's increasingly tense relationship with engine supplier Mercedes, who wanted German Nico Rosberg in the car.'

MIKA: Welcome back home Kimi!

Even though Kimi never won a Championship with McLaren, he certainly came close albeit due to DNF's from an unreliable vehicle. Even so, Kimi was always more competative in a McLaren and actually drove it flat out with determination. Added to the aforementioned, his team mate Lewis will certainly inspire Kimi to be more interested in the sport and showing his competative side!

[OZCUBAN]

Good post Mika

I think your right on the money with this one,he seemed to me to be a better racer when at mclaren my be they can motivate him better than ferrari can or have recently .

If Alonso is off to ferrari next year (The worst kept secret in Formula 1)might be a good thing seen as other wise he might not have a team next year or for the rest of this year

We will find out tomorrow i imagine

Cheers Oz

[OZCUBAN]

Renault handed suspended F1 ban

Renault have been given a two-year suspended ban from Formula 1 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.

Ex-engineering director Pat Symonds has also been excluded for five years.

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.

The FIA agreed not to pursue action against Piquet for his role in uncovering the details of the scandal.

Alonso, who attended the hearing in Paris, was also cleared of any involvement in the race-fixing scheme.

We apologise unreservedly to the F1 community in relation to this unacceptable behaviour

Renault team statement

The FIA added it "thanks him for cooperating with enquiries and concludes that Mr Alonso was not in any way involved in Renault F1's breach of the regulations."

However, the World Motor Sport Council found Renault in breach of its sporting code, finding; "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."

The hearing was an attempt to attribute responsibility for the Singapore scandal despite the departure of Briatore and Symonds.

Renault explained that its internal investigation found that Briatore, Symonds and Piquet Jr had conspired to cause the crash with no other team member involved.

theoldgoat

After conducting its own investigation, the FIA agreed with Renault's findings and decided to hand the French team a more lenient suspended sentence.

Renault, who will pay the cost of the FIA investigation, as well as contributing to its safety-related projects, said it accepted the council's decision.

"We are very sad to find ourselves in front of the Word Motor Sport Council," a team statement said.

"We apologise unreservedly to the F1 community in relation to this unacceptable behaviour.

"We sincerely hope that we can soon put this matter behind us and focus constructively on the future. We will issue further information in the next few days."

The FIA imposed further sanctions on Briatore, who ended his nine-year reign as Renault team principal last week in the wake of the scandal.

The Italian has been banned indefinitely from attending any FIA events. A route back into F1 was made more difficult for Briatore as the FIA declared it would not grant a license to any team he was involved with or renew a Superlicence granted to any driver associated with him.

Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Mark Webber are both managed by Briatore while McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen also has ties with the Italian.

Symonds was banned from all FIA events for five years but the FIA noted his communication to the hearing "that it was to his 'eternal regret and shame' that he had participated in the conspiracy."

Oz To win at all costs is not very smart .I think on the whole Renault got OFF quiet likely especially in the light of what happened to mclaren I think that the F.I.A doesn't want to loose any more car makers (Big Manufacturers) not a level playing field

Though glad to see the back of Briatore

Cheers Oz

[MIKA27]

Oz To win at all costs is not very smart .I think on the whole Renault got OFF quiet likely especially in the light of what happened to mclaren I think that the F.I.A doesn't want to loose any more car makers (Big Manufacturers) not a level playing field

Though glad to see the back of Briatore

Cheers Oz

This is strange indeed OZ.

If you compare how McLaren faired when they caused their controversy (Massive fines, RD quitting/stepping down) and now this from renault which is probably THE biggest scandal in F1 history which yet again is not healthy for the sport of F1, I truly believe the penalty is a joke!

Either way, I hope this season plays out well and fingers crossed that 2010 will be 'Problem' free!