FIA – Tribunal de Grande Instance

The President of the FIA has consulted the FIA Senate and the FIA’s lawyers about the decision of the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris of 5 January. It was unanimously agreed that an appeal would be prepared.

In his election campaign last summer, FIA President Jean Todt and his team announced that new measures for constructive change, including a disciplinary procedure, would be introduced. Work on this is well advanced. Once in place, this will address the issues in the Court’s judgement. Nonetheless, an appeal is merited.

While the appeal is underway, the Word Motor Sport Council’s decision of 21 September 2009 remains in full effect. However, in view of the uncertainty that this may create for drivers who may be affected by this decision, the FIA President and FIA Senate have decided that, pending the outcome of the FIA’s appeal, Superlicences will continue to be issued to qualifying drivers in the usual way.

The FIA President, the FIA Senate, the World Motor Sport Council, and the FIA’s Member Clubs from all countries will take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the continuing integrity and safety of the sport.

11-Dec-09: FIA Confirm Calendar and Points System

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Listen to this episode

Hello and welcome, this is F1 Minute for the 11th December.

The FIA have been busy today with a World Motorsport Council meeting to discuss many things including the 2010 F1 season. Some interesting things came out of it, including the fact that the potential points system we discussed yesterday has been introduced with a win worth 25, and points all the way down to 10th place. Also, Abu Dhabi got their way and have been handed the final grid slot on the calendar, with Brazil moving up to be the penultimate Grand Prix.

Another key point was the stewarding process, with a permanent panel of three stewards, including experienced ex-F1 drivers, to attend each race, alongside national stewards. There will no longer be a non-voting Chairman, ie. Alan Donnelly, but each group of stewards will elect a Chairman at each race.

That’s all for today, have a great weekend and join me on Monday for another F1 Minute.

12-Nov-09: FIA Unhappy with Leaked Information

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Listen to this episode

This is F1 Minute for the 12th October 2009. Welcome.

It was only a matter of time before the FIA hit headlines again, and this time they are criticising whoever it is that is leaking vital documentation regarding Flavio Briatore. The Guardian newspaper has printed a story about some of the phrases used by Briatore in his case against the FIA and their motorsport ban on him. But the FIA have said they “condemn the selective leaking of extracts from Mr Briatore’s pleadings…” and they “reject the allegations made in these leaks and confirm the decision to impose a sanction against Mr Briatore was made by an overwhelming majority of the attending World Motor Sport Council Members.” The hearing is later this month, let’s hope there are no more leaks before then.

A quick note to finish, Mike Gascoyne, new chief at Lotus, believes they will be the best of the new teams – that’s their ambition, anyway, and he thinks they are making good progress.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

FIA – World Motor Sport Council

An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council was held in Paris on 21 September 2009. The following decisions were taken:

FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Engine Performance

Following suggestions that there is a differential between the performance of engines used in Formula One, the World Motor Sport Council has decided that should this be the case, and should the teams wish to eliminate this performance differential, they may be allowed to do so by reducing the performance of the more powerful engines. However, no engine upgrades will be allowed.
2010 FIA Formula One World Championship

14/3 28/3 04/4 18/4 09/5 23/5 30/5 13/6 27/6 11/7 25/7 01/8 29/8 12/9 26/9 03/10 17/10 31/10 14/11

BRN AUS MAL CN E MC TR CDN E GB D H B I SGP J K AE BR

Bahrain Australia Malaysia China Spain Monaco Turkey Canada* Europe (Valencia) Great Britain Germany Hungary Belgium Italy Singapore Japan Korea Abu Dhabi Brazil

*Subject to the completion of contract negotiations with Formula One Management. If these are not completed then the Turkish Grand Prix will be moved to 6 June.

Note: The race in Australia will start at 1700 local time, in Malaysia at 1600 local time, in Singapore at 2000 local time, and in Abu Dhabi at 1700 local time.

FIA – World Motor Sport Council

At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council held in Paris on 21 September 2009, the ING Renault F1 team (“Renault F1”) admitted that the team had conspired with its driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in breach of the International Sporting Code and F1 Sporting Regulations.

Renault F1 stated at the meeting that it had conducted a detailed internal investigation, which found that: (i) Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr. had conspired to cause the crash; and (ii) no other team member was involved in the conspiracy.

The FIA has conducted its own detailed investigation and its findings correspond with those of Renault F1.

At the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, Renault F1 made the following points in mitigation:

• it had accepted, at the earliest practicable opportunity, that it committed the offences with which it was charged and cooperated fully with the FIA’s investigation;
• it had confirmed that Mr. Briatore and Mr. Symonds were involved in the conspiracy and ensured that they left the team;
• it apologised unreservedly to the FIA and to the sport for the harm caused by its actions;
• it committed to paying the costs incurred by the FIA in its investigation; and
• Renault (the parent company, as opposed to Renault F1) committed to making a significant contribution to FIA safety-related projects.

Nelson Piquet Jr. also apologised unreservedly to the World Motor Sport Council for his part in the conspiracy.

The following decision was taken:

The World Motor Sport Council finds that Renault F1 team members Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr. conspired to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. The World Motor Sport Council therefore finds Renault F1, which, under article 123 of the International Sporting Code, is responsible for the actions of its employees, in breach of Articles 151(c) and point 2(c) of Chapter IV of Appendix L of the Code, and Articles 3.2, 30.3 and/or 39.1 of the Formula One Sporting Regulations.

The World Motor Sport Council considers Renault F1’s breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity.  Renault F1’s breaches not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr. himself.  The World Motor Sport Council considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship.  However, having regard to the points in mitigation mentioned above and 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 World Motor Sport Council will only activate this disqualification if Renault F1 is found guilty of a comparable breach during that time.

In addition the World Motor Sport Council notes Renault F1’s apology and agrees that the team should pay the costs of the investigation. It also accepts the offer of a significant contribution to the FIA’s safety work.

As regards Mr. Briatore, the World Motor Sport Council declares that, for an unlimited period, the FIA does not intend to sanction any International Event, Championship, Cup, Trophy, Challenge or Series involving Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any Team or other entity engaging Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever. It also hereby instructs all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr. Briatore access to any areas under the FIA’s jurisdiction.  Furthermore, it does not intend to renew any Superlicence granted to any driver who is associated (through a management contract or otherwise) with Mr. Briatore, or any entity or individual associated with Mr. Briatore. In determining that such instructions should be applicable for an unlimited period, the World Motor Sport Council has had regard not only to the severity of the breach in which Mr. Briatore was complicit but also to his actions in continuing to deny his participation in the breach despite all the evidence.

As regards Mr. Symonds, the World Motor Sport Council declares that, for a period of five years, the FIA does not intend to sanction any International Event, Championship, Cup, Trophy, Challenge or Series involving Mr. Symonds in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any Team or other entity engaging Mr. Symonds in any capacity whatsoever. It hereby instructs, for a period of five years, all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr. Symonds access to any areas under the FIA’s jurisdiction. In determining that such instructions should be effective for a period of five years the World Motor Sport Council has had regard: (i) to Mr. Symonds’ acceptance that he took part in the conspiracy; and (ii) to his communication to the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council that it was to his “eternal regret and shame” that he participated in the conspiracy.

As regards Mr. Piquet Jr., the World Motor Sport Council confirms the immunity from individual sanctions under the International Sporting Code in relation to this incident, which the FIA had granted to him in exchange for volunteering his evidence.

As regards Fernando Alonso, the World Motor Sport Council thanks him for cooperating with the FIA’s enquiries and for attending the meeting, and concludes that Mr. Alonso was not in any way involved in Renault F1’s breach of the regulations.

The World Motor Sport Council would like to thank the Stewards and legal investigation team (in particular Dorothy Cory-Wright of Sidley Austin LLP who conducted the interviews at the Belgian Grand Prix).

The full reasons for this decision, in addition to a complete recording of the proceedings before the World Motor Sport Council, will be made available shortly.

ING Renault F1 Team Statement – 21 September 2009

Following the decision of the World Motor Sport Council concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Renault F1 Team president Bernard Rey issued the following statement to the media gathered in Paris:

“We are very sad to find ourselves in front of the Word Motor Sport Council today.

“By way of background, as a result of our own enquiries, we informed the FIA last week that we would not defend the charges and we accepted our responsibilities in relation to the incident in Singapore and we immediately took appropriate action inside the team.

“Today, we fully accept the decision of the Council. We apologize 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.”

ING Renault F1 Team Statement

The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.

Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009, the team will not make any further comment.

FIA – Extraordinary Meeting of the World Motor Sport Council

Representatives of ING Renault F1 have been requested to appear before an extraordinary meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Monday, 21 September 2009.

The team representatives have been called to answer charges, including a breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, that the team 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.

A Little Bit Piquet

Nelson Piquet Jr, in the Renault, during the Singapore Grand Prix 2008. The FIA have called Renault to appear at an extraordinary meeting of the WMSC – answering charges that they asked Piquet to crash out of the race to help Alonso with a handy Safety Car.

Credit: Force India F1

04-Sep-09: Renault Called to Face WMSC Charges

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Listen to this episode

Hello and welcome to F1 minute for the 4th September.

Renault have officially been called up by the FIA to attend an extraordinary meeting of the World Motorsport Council. The hearing is to take place on the 21st September, which is the week between the Italian and Singapore races. The FIA said: “The team representatives have been called to answer charges… that the team 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.” Renault have acknowledged the summons but won’t make any comment until after the hearing.

Elsewhere, Autosport reports that top chiefs at Toyota aren’t planning to pull out of F1 this year. Although the budget won’t be signed off until mid-November, and there are expected to be huge cuts to spending in the sport, the Japanese team should still be present in the 2010 season.

That’s all for now, please join me tomorrow for another F1 Minute.

Next Page »