Flavio Briatore resigned from Renault last year after it became clear that he was involved in a case of race fixing the year previous, engineering such an incident by conspiring with technical chief Pat Symonds and driver Nelson Piquet Jr., suggesting that Piquet crash his car intentionally to give team mate Fernando Alonso an advantage. The plan went as all involved had hoped and Alonso won the Singapore Grand Prix, largely thanks to a well-timed pit stop and the accident bringing out the safety car. Alonso has always denied having any involvement and knowledge of went on behind the scenes.

Briatore and Symonds resigned, and the whole fiasco only came about because Piquet Jr. was fired partway through the 2009 campaign. All three participants were called before the FIA to answer their charges, and although Piquet had been given immunity, the other two faced heavier sentences. Symonds has been banned from motor sport for five years, while Briatore received a life time ban. The Italian businessman then set about overruling this, citing the fact he isn’t a license holder of the FIA, unlike the drivers. Briatore was successful in his case. The Renault team also received a 2-year suspended ban.

This now means that Flavio can return to motor sport should he wish, but speaking recently, it would seem he has no inclination to do so.

I rule that [return] out 100%. I will watch the race on TV and will look for the faces of the many people I know. I remain affectionate to F1, even though it would have been fairer had I left it at the end of 2006, after Alonso’s second title.

I had already won all my challenges and I was beginning to feel the will to dedicate myself to other things. Then, in 2008, Alonso came back after a difficult season at McLaren and because of our friendship, I preferred to stay by his side.

F1 has given me a lot in popularity, satisfactions, and acquaintances: I don’t regret anything.

That [overruling] was only right, I say. I had spent two months when I had been treated like a criminal, it was a bitter pill, only I know what I had felt inside. Then came the relief, even though in a couple of months there will be the appeal lodged by the Federation.

I’m calm, I did my duty as chief commander of a ship that was risking sinking, by resigning. I took moral responsibility for the scandal, but the real story is yet to be written. However, the verdict has given me freedom and pride, and that’s fine. Flavio Briatore, Gazzetta dello Sport.

Briatore at the time denied any involvement in the conspiracy, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Briatore’s ban was overturned earlier this year by the Tribunal de Grande Instance and the Italian was awarded €15,000 in compensation. The FIA are appealing the decision, as noted by Briatore in his interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

Original article by BlogF1.

Flavio Briatore Rules Out Formula One Return

Also, as we have seen with the driver’s super licenses, it could also prove to be a nice little earner for the FIA. In 2008 and again in 2009, and while under the guidance of Max Mosley, the super license fees were updated to reflect a driver’s worth, basing the fee on the amount of points accrued in the previous season as well as a flat fee and a charge for insurance. While this may not be applicable to the bosses (unless it was based on the constructor points), the FIA could top up their funds with this idea.

However, while having a control over the bosses may be a good thing, it can also be a bad thing. Max Mosley caused a bit of unnecessary unpopularity over his updating of the driver’s fees, and that could very easily be repeated if Todt isn’t careful. Furthermore, it can also give some people a little too much power, meaning that the sport could be damaged if the wrong decisions were made. Usually, one would have to say that is a very rare occurrence, but this is Formula One, and while Mosley is no longer the president, we are yet to see exactly how Todt handles himself and the organisation he resides over.

Are licenses for team bosses a good idea?

Original article by BlogF1.

Daily Debate: Are Licenses For Team Bosses A Good Idea?

However, Flavio believes the FIA did not follow protocol properly and also believes that the governing cannot ban him from attending and involving himself in motorsport because he is not a licensee. Furthermore, Briatore is expected to seek compensation from the FIA as his reputation has been tarnished, something which many presume will have further ramifications in the world of football, Briatore part-owning the Queens Park Rangers club.

In this case, the FIA has been used as a tool to exact vengeance on behalf of one man. This decision is a legal absurdity and I have every confidence that the French courts will resolve the matter justly and impartially. Flavio Briatore, Journal Du Dimanche.

Briatore feels that the FIA acted improperly when there was a delay in issuing summons, failure to disclose the charges in advance and a lack of access to prosecution documents and also to the key witness. The former Renault boss is also questioning the selective immunity imposed by the FIA, the secret negotiating of the decision prior to the hearing and the lack of impartiality of the FIA when passing judgment. As mentioned, Briatore believes the FIA cannot impose this ban on him and also feels that the ban is disproportionate and illegal, and also that the threat of not renewing licenses of those in association with Briatore is in breach of their own rules.

It would seem that Flavio Briatore is not about to back down and take this punishment, which from his point of view you can understand; motor sport makes up a large part of Briatore’s life and the Italian earns much through his association with various people in the sport. However, what is clear from this debacle is that Briatore did wrong, and should therefore quietly disappear into the background. To continue to bring this matter up, especially at a time when the championship is drawing to a climax, only does the world of Formula One an injustice, something that when he was involved, Briatore fought very hard to avoid.

Original article by BlogF1.

Flavio Briatore To Commence Court Proceedings Against FIA

In a press release issued following the hearing at the FIA headquarters in Paris, the governing body stated the following with regards to the former RenaultF1 boss…

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. FIA Press Release.

The key line there is that the FIA do not intend to allow anyone associated with Flavio Briatore to have their super license renewed. As far as I can tell, Mark Webber and Heikki Kovalainen are still managed by the flamboyant Italian. If Webber and Kovalainen are still on Briatore’s books, they better find alternative management pretty soon if they wish to continue racing in FIA-governed events.

A similar punishment has been dealt to Pat Symonds, the former head of engineering at Renault who resigned along with Briatore last week. The only difference between the sentences are that Symond’s is for a period of five years, while Briatore’s remains unlimited.

Original article by BlogF1.

No More Super Licenses For Briatore-Managed Drivers

The latest controversy to engulf the sport has perhaps been one of the worse when you consider that Briatore and Symonds essentially fixed the race by convincing Piquet Jr to crash his car at a point that would virtually guarantee a safety car period. With this knowledge, the team were able to run a very aggressive strategy with Fernando Alonso and thus, the Spaniard took the race victory.

For his part, the FIA are happy that Alonso played no involvement in the agreement between the three men implicated and was unaware of what Piquet was going to do. Although it has been noted that an intelligent and experienced driver would normally have questioned the reasoning behind such an aggressive strategy, Alonso it seems is in the clear.

And all things considered, Renault are fortunate to have come out of this debacle relatively unscathed. To deliberately plan to cause an accident which could have harmful consequences to those in and around the car at the time is quite simply wrong, and to do this in order to gain advantage is unsporting at its most.

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. FIA Press Release.

A suspended sentence essentially means that if Renault break any comparable rule in the next 24 months, the FIA will come down on them like a ton of bricks – they would be disqualified from taking part in Formula One. For now though, while the team remain within the rules, they are permitted to continue fighting in the Formula One World Championship in 2009, 2010 and 2011. After this point and assuming Renault do not do anything of similar nature, the suspension will presumably be lifted.

Further to the suspended disqualification, Renault have also agreed to pay the costs involved with the investigations and to also make a significant contribution to the FIA’s safety work and campaigns.

This will undoubtedly come as a relief to all who work at Renault who played no part and had no knowledge of what Briatore, Symonds and Piquet Jr did, and I’m sure Alonso (who attended the hearing this morning) is happy knowing he can continue driving for the remainder of the season alongside Piquet’s previously-implemented replacement, Romain Grosjean.

Piquet, who brought the matter to the attention of the FIA in the first place, received immunity from any consequences resulting from the hearing today, something the Brazilian is awarded for being honest and informing the governing body. Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have both left the Renault team and they may face further investigation. However, for now the team must continue without two of its (previous to recent times) most respected managers.

Of course, the sport has once again found itself splashed across the newspapers for all the wrong reasons, and once again I utter the words of comfort in the hope for a clean and exciting end to the 2009 season.

Original article by BlogF1.

Renault Receive A Two Year Suspended Disqualification

What Renault may have done at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix is serious and most certainly not trivial. To plan and ask for a driver to crash in order to benefit the team mate’s chances of victory is simply wrong and should be dealt with a heavy hand. If Pat Symonds and Flavio Briatore did indeed ask Nelson Piquet Jr to slam his R28 into the barrier just after Fernando Alonso’s pitstop last year, then the trio should simply not be allowed to return to motor sport. If what Piquet says is true, the decision is unsporting of the highest order.

Of course, we do not yet know this is the case, as the hearing into Formula One’s latest controversy will not be held until tomorrow. However, the sudden departure of Symonds and Briatore from the Renault team looks from the outside to be an admission of guilt. If the Renault management are innocent, there would be no reason to leave. It is interesting to note though, the FIA have not yet singled out Symonds and Briatore and instead have called the hearing with Renault, implying that the pair’s leaving will not yet change anything.

To also add further to that, it is of course plain and clear that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds asked Nelson Piquet crash. Bernie Ecclestone has spoken of the sadness of the affair and how Briatore’s career has ended poorly, and the Italian himself has briefly spoken of having to make the moral decision and save the team by standing down. While no official judgment will be made until tomorrow at the earliest, it would appear that Piquet has told the truth.

So why should Briatore, Symonds and Piquet be banned from motor sport should the hearing favour Nelson’s statement? Or perhaps more to the point, can they be banned? In 2008, Nigel Stepney went before the FIA to defend himself against allegations of sabotage and espionage. As it turns out, the FIA said they could not prevent Stepney from seeking employment in Formula One because he is not a licensee of the governing body. Instead, the FIA sent out a strong warning to its licensees telling them to be very careful and to use due diligence should they be looking to hire the ex-Ferrari employee.

Therefore, if Stepney was not a licensee of the FIA, one can only presume Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr are not either. Perhaps even more so now that all three are not working within the sport. It would also be a great shame if Renault are punished severely too (assuming the decision was only between the three currently implicated), particularly if that led to the withdrawal of the team. Of all the recent squads in the sport, Honda and BMW included, Renault seemed to have the most flakey outlook with regards to continued participation. And while team bosses do not wish to discuss the team’s future involvement in Formula One at the moment, questions are being asked. If a race ban gets handed down to Renault, even if it’s just until the end of the year, I can see the squad packing up and selling on. Hopefully, the evidence will only concern the management and their resignations will be taken into account.

And why, you may be asking, am I throwing Piquet in with Briatore and Symonds, especially as the Brazilian has been given immunity by the FIA for making a statement? Well, because in my view Piquet is just as guilty as the instigators. If a boxer is approached by someone with a suitcase full of cash and told to go down in the third round, and consequently does go down, both people are guilty of match fixing. And more often than not, it is the boxer who everybody remembers and receives the most damage to the reputation.

Although there was probably no suitcase of cash, Piquet states clearly that he felt complying to the demands of Briatore and Symonds would ensure him a better position to get his contract renewed for 2009. Just because the cash is electronically transferred from one account to the other in the form of a salary does not make it any less shady when it results from doing something wrong and damaging to the sport.

And so I think that is just about all I want to write on the recent Renault scandal. BlogF1 has been quiet these past few days simply because I am sick to the core of the controversies that seem to embroil the sport every six months or so. Many of us felt that when Nigel Stepney and Mike Coughlin were caught sharing information, the sport would be rocked. Quite simply, it was. Although Formula One recovered, the time spent dealing with the issue filled me with a sadness I had hoped would not return.

Of course, this wasn’t the first big moment to affect the sport, but it is the one I remember the most in my time of watching Formula One and the one I consider the first for me. Since then, it seems the sport has been put through the blender several times, with notable thanks to Max Mosley, Lewis Hamilton and Dave Ryan, the stupid budget cap idea and resulting breakaway threats (that one is Max again) and many, many more. The controversies seem to be never-ending in a sport that is actually about going around a race track as quickly as possible.

Controversial moments are inevitable, as I have already mentioned, and you cannot really prevent them from happening. A driver will cut across a chicane and not receive punishment, or will receive a punishment that is perhaps unjust. A team will design a radical new part that fits the rules as they are written and the other teams will throw their toys out of the pram. These aren’t a big deal in the long term. Unsporting behaviour from some the sport’s most respected managers and engineers is, and although Ecclestone may revel in the headlines his commercial asset is generating, we really only want to watch the racing.

People say its been a torrid year but it always is in F1. There’s always something going on. It’s never peaceful. Bernie Ecclestone.

Original article by BlogF1.

There’s Always Something Going On, It’s Never Peaceful

Piquet Jr released a statement earlier that describes his relief at being able to put a bad part of his career behind him and move on, but the Brazilian driver is still furious with the team, continuing his allegations that team mate Fernando Alonso received better and further developed equipment. Furthermore, Piquet has made further allegations, saying that his boss and manager, Flavio Briatore, threatened Piquet fifteen minutes prior to the start of qualifying sessions and races. Piquet’s statement, which for the record is one of the longest I have read from a driver parting from a team, is (and it is unfortunate to say this) whiney and somewhat childish.

This is the statement in full, with my own additions after each paragraph. A link to the original can be found at the very bottom.

I have received notice from the Renault F1 team of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season. I want to say thanks to the small group who supported me and that I worked together at Renault F1, although it is obviously with great disappointment that I receive such news. But, at the same time, I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career, and the possibility that I can now move on and put my career back on the right track and try to recover my reputation of a fast, winning driver. I am a team player and there are dozens of people I have worked with in my career who would vouch for my character and talent, except unfortunately the person that has had the most influence on my career in Formula 1.

And to be perfectly honest, Piquet’s statement should have ended there. Polite, respectful with a little twist towards the end. Unfortunately, Piquet goes on…

I started racing at the age of eight and have broken record after record. I won every championship I raced in go-karts. I was South American F3 champion, winning 14 races and getting 17 pole positions. In 2003 I went to England, with my own team, to compete in the British F3 championship. I was champion there as well, winning 12 races and getting 13 pole positions. In fact I was the youngest ever champion. I raced GP2 in 2005 and 2006, winning five races and scoring six pole positions. I had a great season in my second year, only missing out on the championship to Lewis Hamilton due to technical mistakes of our team, which I take as my own as well, including running out of fuel during a race. I set the record in GP2 for the first driver to have a perfect weekend, scoring the maximum points available, in Hungary 2006. No-one matched that until July 2009 when Nico Hulkenberg did in at Nurburgring.

If I wanted to read your biography, Nelson, I would have headed over to your official website, or checked out your Wikipedia entry. I mean honestly, in a statement that is confirming your exit from a team, do I really need to read about your career thus far?

The path to F1 was always going to be tricky, and my father and I therefore signed a management contract with Flavio Briatore, who we believed was an excellent option with all the necessary contacts and management skills. Unfortunately, that was when the black period of my career started. I spent one year as a test driver, where I only did a handful of tests, and the next year started as a race driver with Renault. After the opening part of the season, some strange situations began to happen. As a beginner in F1, I could only expect from my team a lot of support and preparation to help me in getting up to the task. Instead, I was relegated as “someone who drives the other car” with no attention at all. In addition, on numerous occasions, fifteen minutes before qualifying and races, my manager and team boss (Briatore) would threaten me, telling me if I didn’t get a good result, he had another driver ready to put in my place. I have never needed threats before to get results. In 2008 I scored 19 points, finished once on the podium in second place, having the best debut year of a Brazilian driver in F1.

And now Nelson is becoming a little whiney. It is all fine and dandy to be upset, but in a sport that demands professional behaviour at all times, Piquet has done himself a disservice here. Would any team boss employ Piquet Jr now, knowing that should the relationship not work out, Piquet will blast the team with accusations and tales of threats and lack of support. I know I wouldn’t.

For the 2009 season Briatore, again acting both as my manager and team boss of Renault F1, promised me everything would be different, that I would get the attention I deserved but had never received, and that I would get “at least equal treatment” inside the team. He made me sign a performance-based contract, requiring me to score 40% of Fernando Alonso’s points by mid-way through the season. Despite driving with Fernando, two-time world champion and a really excellent driver, I was confident that, if I had the same conditions, I would easily attain the 40% of points required by the contract.

A contract Nelson signed. He presumably didn’t have to, but at the end of the day, the 40%-of-Alonso’s-score contract was signed. At the midway point of the season (which was actually the German Grand Prix), Piquet Jr hadn’t achieved the necessary points to be within 40% of his team mate. Therefore, the team acted accordingly. That, my Brazilian friend, is called life.

Unfortunately, the promises didn’t turn into reality again. With the new car I completed 2002km of testing compared to Fernando’s 3839km. Only three days of my testing was in dry weather – only one of Fernando’s was wet. I was only testing with a heavy car, hard tyres, mostly on the first day (when the track is slow and reliability is poor), or when the weather was bad. Fernando was driving a light car with soft tyres in the dry, fine conditions. I never had a chance to be prepared for the qualifying system we use. In Formula 1 today, the difference between 1st and 15th position is sometimes less than a second. It means that 0.2 or 0.3s can make you gain eight positions.

I love the complete lack of actual comparison between “three days of my testing was in dry weather – only one of Fernando’s was wet”. And how many dry weather days did Alonso get? One? Twenty million?

Oh and also, the line about not being prepared for the qualifying system. Erm, what was Piquet doing last year then, when the system was the same as this year’s?

In addition to that, car development is now happening on a race-to-race basis due to the in season testing ban. Of the first nine races that I ran this year, in four of them Fernando had a significant car upgrade that I did not have. I was informed by the engineers at Renault that in those races I had a car that was between 0.5 and 0.8s a lap slower than my teammate. If I look at Germany (where I out-qualified my teammate despite that), if I had that advantage in qualifying I would be fifth and not tenth. If we had that difference in the race, I would have finished ahead of my teammate, which I did in Silverstone, despite him having upgrades that I did not have.

And now Piquet is nit-picking. The upgraded car scenario isn’t nit-picking, but to go through individual results and try to add in a ‘what-if’ is, and this is where, in my opinion, Nelson comes off poorly.

I believe without doubt in my talent and my performance. I didn’t get this far by getting bad results. Anyone who knows my history knows that the results I am having in F1 do not match my CV and my ability. The conditions I have had to deal with during the last two years have been very strange to say the least – there are incidents that I can hardly believe occurred myself. If I now need to give explanations, I am certain it is because of the unfair situation I have been in the past two years. I always believed that having a manager was being a part of a team and having a partner. A manager is supposed to encourage you, support you, and provide you with opportunities. In my case it was the opposite. Flavio Briatore was my executioner.

I do like the last sentence used here though – a strong yet simply crafted piece of language. And I now presume Briatore isn’t Piquet’s manager anymore. I don’t think it has been explicitly said so, but calling your boss and manager an executioner would indicate the relationship is without doubt well and truly over. Unfortunately though, Nelson is still continuing with his statement…

Being under pressure is not new to me. I have had criticism throughout my career, and have also had a lot of expectations put on me due to my name. Up until now I always met those expectations – surpassed them even. I have never before felt the need to defend myself or fight back from rumours and criticism because I knew the truth and I just wanted to concentrate on racing – I didn’t ever let it affect me. Fortunately, I can now say to those people who supported me through my career that I’m back on the good tracks and considering the options for a new start in my F1 career in a fair and positive way. Nelson Piquet Jr.

Phew.

That was without doubt one of the longest statements I have read from a driver departing from a team. I think Sebastien Bourdais just wrote a paragraph or two, slagging off the team, threatening legal action and leaving it at that. The popular French driver certainly didn’t recount past races, his career statistics and suggest strange happenings within the team.

What it does show though is that Nelson Piquet is angry at the team and feels he has not been given a fair chance. My own opinion on the Piquet matter is that Flavio Briatore should have cut his losses after the Brazilian Grand Prix last year. Piquet had one decent result in the whole of 2008, and although he put in a handful of decent performances, he was largely nowhere near his team mate. Although Alonso is a very strong and fast racing driver, he still needs to be pushed, and I feel Briatore has made a great error in judgment by allowing himself to employ a driver who was not capable of getting even remotely close to Alonso.

So suggestions now move to the potential replacements for Piquet. I think Romain Grosjean must be at the top of the rookie list, but again, Briatore doesn’t necessarily have to employ a rookie as there are plenty of experienced drivers out there who could fill the spot for the remainder of the season. Having said that though, the R29 is not a great car, and therefore it might be wise to put a rookie in the seat so they can get some experience in without necessarily feeling the pressure of having to turn out good results. This will help the driver and the team come 2010.

Original article by BlogF1.

Nelson Piquet Jr Confirms Immediate Renault Exit

The suspension seems like a harsh penalty for the FIA to dish out, as in the past wheels have come off other cars and the teams and drivers have not been suspended. However, given the recent incidents involving car parts coming off and striking other drivers, it is understandable why the FIA would want to be seen to be taking this matter seriously. Seven days ago, Henry Surtees was tragically killed by a tyre-and-wheel hitting him after it detached itself from a fellow competitor’s car. And yesterday, Felipe Massa was rushed to hospital after a spring from Barrichello’s car struck him in the face. Massa is still in an induced coma in Budapest.

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore was seen trying to leave the circuit after Fernando Alonso retired his R29, despite the fact second driver Nelson Piquet Jr. was still in the race. This sends out a very strong message to myself, one that indicates the Italian has already made up his mind about his driver pairing. It is not known if Briatore actually made it out of the circuit; the FIA and FOM do not like team personnel leaving until all their media obligations have been taken care of. In fact, it is a rule for 2009 that the drivers cannot leave early.

The penalty may also seem quite harsh because it affects the second driver of the team. Currently, that man is Nelson Piquet Jr, and if he were to remain with the team, he too would be penalised by not being able to race. Given that the incident had nothing to do with the Brazilian, it seems a little unfair. Although it is rumoured that Piquet will not be racing for Renault again anyway, penalty or no penalty and as mentioned in the above paragraph.

So the 2009 European Grand Prix will feature just 18 drivers from 9 teams, and Renault will have to stay home and watch the race on the television.

• The live race notes can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Live Race Notes
• The race result can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Race Result
• The race report can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Lewis Hamilton Returns McLaren To Top With Victory
• The pitstop and tyre strategies can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Pitstop & Tyre Strategies
• The fantasy racers round-up can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Fantasy Racers Update
• The penalty updates post can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Penalty Updates

Original article by BlogF1.

Hungary 2009: Renault Have Been Suspended From The European Grand Prix

The budget cap plan is causing considerable unrest in Formula One at the moment and it is envisaged that all manufacturers will add their voice to the debate and threaten to quit if the rules are not amended. Teams whose companies centre around Formula One motor racing are likely to enter, those being Williams, Force India and Brawn, with possibly McLaren as well. However, the argument isn’t strictly centering around the manufacturers as Dietrich Mateschitz has stated that he will not enter his two teams either if the cap remains in its current form.

In a statement, Renault said that they are not happy with the way the capping rule has been introduced and Flavio Briatore is particularly upset as FOTA’s own proposals were largely ignored. This echoes the other four teams who have stated that they are also unhappy with the way the rule was brought in with little-to-no consultation, and Ferrari are even investigating its legality due to the fact that they have a strong involvement in the introduction of new rules.

There is frustration that FOTA’s constructive proposals, including major cost saving measures to be adopted progressively between 2009 and 2012, which were carefully constructed by FOTA members, have been completely ignored without any form of consultation by the FIA with the teams.

It should be stressed that FOTA has set the same, if not lower, financial objective as the FIA, but Renault strongly believes that this must be introduced through a different procedure agreed by all parties. Renault Statement.

Renault went on to say that the governance of the sport needs to incorporate all parties involved, including FOM and FOTA as well.

The decision of the Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA) to introduce two sets of Formula One technical regulations for the 2010 Formula One season has caused the Renault Group to reconsider its entry in next year’s FIA Formula One World Championship.

Renault also believes that it is paramount that the governance of the sport is coordinated with a spirit of consultation with all parties (FIA, FOM, FOTA) in order to achieve a better balance between the costs and the revenues. Renault is also of the firm view that all entrants in the World Championship must adhere to and operate under the same regulations. Renault Statement.

It is also my view that all the teams should operate under one set of regulations. Not only does it make policing the sport much easier, but the potential to have one set of teams performing considerably better on the track than another set would be negated under a single set of rules. As stated previously, I cannot believe for a second that the FIA will get the potential performance difference right from the word go – they couldn’t even organise qualifying properly with changes being made mid-season in previous years.

While Renault remained calmly professional but firm in their statement, team boss Flavio Briatore showed his typical emotive side, indicating that while the Italian may not always be right, Formula One is clearly still held very close to his heart.

Our aim is to reduce costs while maintaining the high standards that make Formula One one of the most prestigious brands on the market. We want to achieve this in a coordinated manner with the regulatory and commercial bodies, and we refuse to accept unilateral governance handed out by the FIA.

If the decisions announced by the World Council on the 29th of April 2009 are not revised, we have no choice but to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship at the end of 2009. Flavio Briatore.

It is this “unilateral governance” that has caused much of the problem, and had the FIA spent more time discussing the options with FOTA rather than seemingly ignoring their efforts, then this issue would have likely been avoided.

As the 29th May deadline for entries to the 2010 World Championship approaches, it is still unknown if a compromise can be hammered out. FOTA chairman and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo is expected to meet with Max Mosley prior to the Monaco Grand Prix, where solution will surely be found. Until then though, Formula One will once again endure bad press after bad press as the sport makes the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Further Reading

• Ferrari Joins Toyota & Red Bull In 2010 Boycott
• Dietrich Mateschitz Becomes Latest To Voice Non-Entry To Two-Tier F1
• Budget Cap Causes Consternation Among The Teams
• FIA Adjust 2010 Decisions: Budget Caps
• The Future Of Formula One – Capping The Budgets

Original article by BlogF1.

Renault Become Fifth Team To Reconsider 2010 Entry

At the start of the season, both McLarens, both Ferraris, both Renaults and Nick Heidfeld used KERS and we saw in the opening race in Melbourne that it produced some interesting overtaking moves, particularly from the Spanish Renault pilot.

However, Ferrari suffered some problems with the device over the winter and after Kimi Raikkonen retired from the Malaysian Grand Prix due to another KERS failure (the device overheated and caused the cockpit extinguisher to fire while Raikkonen was driving), Ferrari removed the device from both cars. In China Felipe Massa said the removal of KERS is a step backwards for the team, and Stefano Domenicali stated that perhaps taking the device off the cars wasn’t the wisest of moves as the F60 is essentially designed with KERS in mind.

In Bahrain this weekend, Felipe Massa is using the device while Kimi Raikkonen isn’t, the Finn probably fed up with it and wanting nothing to do with energy recovery.

However, while FOTA may want the technology banned, the FIA are very keen on its widespread use. The reason is down to Max Mosley’s insistence that Formula One be green and environmentally friendly. In a world where people are measuring their carbon footprint and trying to reduce it, and in a world where companies are developing clean fuels and reducing emissions, Formula One motor racing looks like the sore thumb of antiquated ventures that should be banned in some people’s eyes. Obviously, the FIA are trying their best to ensure this doesn’t happen.

With energy recovery, the FIA can tout out lines that describe how the sport has been carbon neutral for a long time and that the energy lost while a Formula One car brakes (but its engine is still running) is recovered and reused via batteries storing the energy in the form of electricity (although Williams are developing a fly-wheel system). The technology though is complicated and expensive to develop, going against the FIA’s other trend of wanting to reduce costs in the sport to ensure its financial future.

We understood immediately that KERS was a money-sucking genius, and the FIA should have taken note of that. It should have been discussed before the start of the season, and the same goes for the diffusers. Having failed to do that has forced on us expenses that are crazy as much as useless. Flavio Briatore.

Of course, Briatore is already furious because his Renault team, that already runs a very tight budget, is now forced to develop a ‘double-diffuser’ which is another major part of a Formula One car that costs an awful lot to redesign. By changing the diffuser, the whole of the rear of the car has to be looked into and potentially redesigned. Briatore is not happy about this and has been mouthing off at Brawn since the FIA ruling earlier in the month.

Officially, we are yet to hear from FOTA as it would appear that Briatore is representing himself with his current comments. In his capacity of Commercial Development leader at FOTA, there is surely little Briatore can do other than bring the discussion to the table and add opinion. Unfortunately for Flavio, his new arch nemesis Ross Brawn is the leader of the Technical Working Group within the organisation, but thankfully for Briatore, Brawn are also yet to introduce KERS to their car.

My own opinion on the matter of KERS is that it is a waste of money. With only some cars running the device it is interesting and it was great to see Mark Webber dice with Fernando Alonso during the saturated Malaysian Grand Prix. The Red Bull pilot was able to pass the Renault through the corners thanks to its great chassis that works beautifully. However, as soon as the pair exited the corner Alonso was able to press the magic button on this steering wheel and power past the RB5 as the throttle was opened and KERS applied.

However, I still believe the technology is a colossal waste of money and when/should each team have KERS fitted to their cars, I fear that the effect of it will be negated. Every driver will press the button at the same points around the lap and essentially we will be back to square-one. New technology is certainly interesting and is what makes Formula One so fascinating, especially when that technology is passed onto road cars. But to be tooting the green agenda when, to be perfectly honest, Formula One will never be truly green, is just nonsense. And that blame lies squarely on the doorstep of the FIA.

Formula One can and should improve its impact on the environment. Perhaps limiting the shipping of the tyres from Japan to the UK and then onto the race venues would be a good idea. Further limiting the amount of staff that travel to the grands prix would help. Developing clean fuels as Richard Branson recently mentioned when he became a sponsor of Brawn would be good. And funnily enough, most of those off the top of my head suggestions would actually save the sport money. In fact all them would if Branson sold his clean fuel to Formula One at a cheaper cost to the teams than their current suppliers.

The juggling act of Formula One’s survival is difficult and is enduring a tough time at the moment. However, the sport will survive and so far this season, the racing has been fantastic. What I believe will help the sport immeasurably is to have a leader that isn’t solely interested in one idea that appears to be his and his alone. The sport needs careful management from, dare I say it, a committee. A group of people who understand motor racing, who understand its limits but also its possibilities. Who understand what can and what cannot be done, and a group of people who understand the financial impact of implementing ideas.

The sport needs to unite and be run by itself, or at minimum in close collaboration with an outside organisation (to be fair and impartial). By constantly battling with the FIA the act of racing cars around a multitude of circuits the world over is almost doomed to disaster. By working together for the benefit of the teams and the fans, Formula One can have a prosperous future amid dark times elsewhere in the financial industries. KERS is just one example of how this won’t happen; the FIA will press ahead with its mandatory introduction for 2010 while the teams will voice their opinion of wanting it shelved. The argument will simply go on, and on, and on…

Original article by BlogF1.

KERS Hits The Headlines Again: FOTA Want It Banned

The one-sided war of words between Flavio Briatore and the Brawn team has been comical to say the least. While it is good to voice concerns and raise issues, Briatore’s approach to the situation that sees his tightly budgeted team now having to spend more money on developing a ‘double-diffuser’ was strikingly poor. Instead of simply announcing a meeting between the members of FOTA to discuss his concerns with those involved – which Briatore, in an attempt to gain support, believes is all teams – the Italian team boss has instead allowed a slew of laughable comments to be released in Italy’s popular sport’s newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport.

The drivers in our teams have been and are world champions, while the championship is now fought between a driver who was almost retired and another one who is a good guy but a paracarro [Italian concrete mile-marker]. Flavio Briatore.

To suggest fellow competitors as almost retired and as a concrete post is perhaps not the wisest of moves, especially as Jenson Button politely pointed out in response, Briatore attempted to hire him while the Honda-situation was still up in the air over the past winter.

He also needs to remember that he tried to employ me for this year, so…

He is obviously a very angry man after the diffuser issues and he is obviously very disappointed that they haven’t produced a car that is as competitive as ours. We have produced a very competitive car because of the work force we have back at Brackley and you cannot take it away from them – it is very unfair to say that. Jenson Button.

When asked about the general response from the Brawn team to Flavio’s comments, Button simply added: “Laughing, basically.”

The media have generally lambasted Briatore, saying that the former Benetton-franchisee is showing all the signs of a bad loser. It isn’t just the British press either that are siding with Ross Brawn on this matter, and it is somewhat confusing as to why the former Honda team has been singled out over Williams and Toyota, who had also developed the controversial ‘double-diffuser’.

However, despite the general failure to get the press on his side, Briatore remains resolute to his cause, and has now suggested that Brawn’s entitlement to benefits should be ceased, and money owed to the team from TV rights be shared equally among the others.

Mr. Briatore seems to be forgetting that FOTA, the association made up all the competing Formula One teams, supported the takeover of Honda by Ross Brawn et al. McLaren and Mercedes helped the squad tremendously by offering engine units, for which the FIA gave permission for as it does break the rules. The teams agreed that in this case, the ruling should be ignored for the sake of having ten squads on the grid this season. Also required to give consent was Vijay Mallya of Force India; the team who had just received a substantial technical backer in McLaren and Mercedes.

Flavio does have merit in his argument; the teams who have not developed a ‘double-diffuser’ will now have to spend a reported approximation of $25m per car to redesign and implement the parts required to integrate a different diffuser. At a time when the sport is desperate to cut costs, the extra expense is certainly not welcome. And that must be made worse for Renault as they have always ran a very tight budget. Combined with the fact that the squad are due to lose their title sponsor at the end of this year and are already struggling with pace, one can understand why Flavio is upset.

Despite some being against it, [Luca di] Montezemolo kept the FOTA united in supporting Brawn GP, and so did McLaren, in supplying engines.

But since [Ross] Brawn was our technical delegate, and he forces me to spend money I don’t have in my budget, and since Honda’s money have luckily not been shared yet, we’ll have a meeting.

My proposal will be as follows. Brawn is richer than anyone else, because he’s had his team paid for in full by Honda, plus he’s had 130 millions given to him [by Honda]: he’s certainly richer than I am.

I don’t want to be a Robin Hood, but when there’s a situation where everyone is transparent then it’s fine.

At this moment my position is, since I need to find the money in the budget somewhere and the season can’t end up with [everyone] being one second behind the Brawn cars, then the money share will have to be reviewed in full. I think it’s around €30 million. Flavio Briatore.

Also troubling Briatore is the fact that Brawn are receiving transport help along with the other teams. Flavio’s point is that the FIA have stated that Brawn is a new team, hence why they are at the end of the pitlane and have been issued with the bottom set of numbers, despite finishing ahead of Force India in 2008 when they were known as Honda. The FIA did waive the ‘new team entry fee’ though, showing that they understood the situation and circumstances. However, Bernie Ecclestone has treated Brawn as an existing team, which is shown by the fact they are receiving transport help which is only usually given to established squads.

As FOTA commercial chairman I’ll propose that we follow the FIA’s indications that it’s a new team and for three years it has no rights with regards to transportation, nothing. Flavio Briatore.

When Briatore was questioned about the FOTA agreeing in late December to support Ross Brawn’s endeavours and to ensure the team was given all that was owed, Briatore simply replied with with an almost nonsensical answer…

That was at Christmas, though. Now that Christmas has gone, we’ll talk about it again next Christmas.

Since it’s a new team, it has to follow all the regulations we followed when we entered with new teams. I will propose that to FOTA, then we’ll see. Flavio Briatore.

It seems to me that Briatore could have handled this a whole lot better, and the man has been laughed at from several quarters. While it is far from great that six companies are now going to have to develop new parts for fourteen cars at a huge expense of time, resources and money, that is Formula One, and that is what these people let themselves in for when they sign on the dotted line in Bernie Ecclestone’s office.

When Red Bull Technologies put a giant shark fin on the engine cover of last years RB4, Renault were among the first to develop a similar part. While a shark fin almost certainly costs considerably less to design and build, and a much more simple piece to integrate into the car, it is an example of one team pushing the envelope, and the others copying. One is almost tempted to bring up the J-Damper saga from a few years back…

Perhaps instead of whining and complaining, Flavio should turn his charismatically creative mind to that of finding and wooing potential sponsors for his team. Oh, and a graphic designer to redo that livery.

Original article by BlogF1.

Whining Flavio Briatore Won’t Drop The Diffuser Issue

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #71

Flavio Briatore has a long history with Renault, having managed the team prior to the French manufacturer buying it out. Before Renault, the squad was owned by the Italian Benetton family, the same who own the clothing company. Briatore set up many Benetton franchises in America in the early ’80s and brought the family and himself much wealth, taking on one of the largest markets in the world.

Benetton acquired the Toleman team in 1985 and due to his success in business, the family offered Briatore the role of team manager in 1990. Flavio steered the team to great success, taking the driver’s title in 1994 and both drivers and constructors the following year (incidentally, with Renault engines). However, the dream team fell apart in 1996 when Michael Schumacher left, taking many of the squad’s key personnel with him. A downturn in performance resulted and eventually, Benetton sold the team to Renault.

Briatore was fired from Benetton in 1997, but Renault decided to bring the Italian back in 2000 as the squad transitioned. By 2003, the team had won a race, and by 2005 they took the titles, a feat that was repeated the following year. And although the team have only enjoyed victory once since then (at last weekend’s Singapore event), Briatore’s position within the company appears to be safer than it was before with Benetton.

In 2009 I won’t have a 360-degree role anymore. There will be a director, who I’ve already spotted, to take care of day-by-day management. That way I’ll be able to concentrate on the most important things. Flavio Briatore.

Maybe Briatore is referring to his new wife there [pictured], but he is more likely to be moving away from the frontline, much like how Jean Todt has done at Ferrari, and Ron Dennis keeps threatening to do at McLaren.

There are cycles in F1. Just when the times were difficult, [Renault CEO] Carlos Ghosn didn’t want to lower the budget. F1 isn’t just a matter of money; otherwise Toyota would win every race.

In Renault we had to refresh the whole aerodynamics department. When you change 40 people you need to wait for them to amalgamate. Now we are in line, and we’re ready to start over. We have the right people, young and capable. Flavio Briatore.

Briatore will be hoping to retain the services of Fernando Alonso, who is looking more and more likely to re-sign to the team. The Spaniard had been hoping for a Ferrari deal, but now the Scuderia have announced no-change for 2009, Alonso’s options are significantly narrowed. The win in Singapore will have boosted the morale of the entire operation, and providing the aerodynamic department tweaks prove good and the engine issue is sorted, the team may be able to begin climbing once again.

Original article by BlogF1.

Flavio Briatore To Change Roles For 2009

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #54

The Brazilian driver arrived in Formula One with a lot of promise, many people believing he would blow Alonso away. Needless to say that hasn’t exactly happened and the poor Renault pilot has struggled to get to grips with the R28. It is also worth noting that the 2008 Renault isn’t a great car and comparing Piquet to Alonso is a little unfair; Ecclestone recently rated Fernando as the best all-round driver on the grid. And with two championships behind him already, it is hard to disagree with the diminutive Brit.

Piquet passed Alonso in the closing stages of the French Grand Prix and went from eighth to seventh and demoted his team mate down the points order. After finishing the race Piquet was naturally exuberant with his first point-scoring result in Formula One, as was team boss Flavio Briatore, a man who has been almost unnaturally calm following Piquet’s troubled start to 2008.

It’s the first time that everything has gone without any problems for me. The car and the team’s strategy worked well and I was able to score my first couple of points today. I am happy and I hope that we can continue like this for the rest of the season. Nelson Piquet Jr.

Nelson had a remarkable race, very consistent and aggressive, and I am very pleased to see him score his first points today. Flavio Briatore.

However, while Piquet’s points will be enjoyed for the next two weeks, is it enough to quell the concern at Renault HQ. Last month Steve Nielson was critical of Piquet and refused to deny that his position was under threat.

I think rather than say he’s had a disastrous start to the season, it’s a bit of a curate’s egg – there are good bits and bad bits.
But he needs to start having more good bits than the bad bits, and he needs to start doing that as soon as he can because F1 is a business, it’s a very cut-throat business, and if people don’t deliver they go the obvious way. Steve Nielson.

Piquet has been testing a lot recently, and generally he has appeared to be more consistent at recent races. But is it already too late? Kovalainen scored points in only his second Formula One race last year, and then he scored again in Spain before starting a string of good finishes from the British Grand Prix onwards.

Therefore, I think it is fair to say that Piquet needs to continue his result from France to push for more during the middle of the season. He needs to minimise his retirements and stick to Alonso like glue.

Image © Glenn Dunbar/LAT.

Original article by BlogF1.

Has Nelson Piquet Jr Saved His Bacon?

Also making me smile today is Willi Weber, manager of former world champion Michael Schumacher. Weber has made an awful lot of money out of the drivers he’s managed over the years, but now the German is said to be excited about making more than he ever has with Formula One. Apparently, Weber has invented a resealable can. You know, the things you buy Coca Cola in. Aluminium cans, that can be resealed. Personally, if I knew I wouldn’t be able to drink all the contents in one go, I just buy a 330ml bottle and be done with it. But according to Weber, there is a market for this.

I am convinced that in ten years everybody will be using it. Willi Weber.

The market is worth 250 billion cans per year, so only selling them at a penny a piece, if Weber can attract all the major drinks manufacturers, he’s surely in to make some change.

With this I can make more money than I did with Schumacher in 15 years of formula one. Willi Weber.

[Cue maniacal chuckle!] Someone give Weber a white cat to stroke before he starts planning on taking over the world.

Original article by BlogF1.

The Lighter Side Of Formula One: Weddings & Cans

Renault’s First Foray Into Formula One

Renault actually raced in the late seventies as a manufacturer team, debuting at the 1977 British Grand Prix. The car, named the RS01 because of Renault Sport’s involvement in the team, was the first to regularly use a turbo-charged engine and the squad competed in the five remaining races of the ‘77 championship. Unfortunately, pushing the envelope with the engine meant taking a big risk and it didn’t pay off for the team; they didn’t even finish one race. Yellow Teapot quickly became the nickname for the car, painted in Renault’s traditional colour of yellow.

The following three years didn’t see much of an improvement either, with staple driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille facing the brunt of retirements in the team. Although Renault were slowly improving, occasionally picking up points and briefly getting on the podium, the results don’t look good when viewed on paper. However, Renault persevered and in 1979, Jabouille took the team’s maiden victory, happily achieved at the French Grand Prix. It was not only the team’s first win, but also Jabouille’s and the first for a turbo-charged engine. The stars aligned that day, the French race being won by a French driver in a French team running on French tyres (Michelin) with French fuel (Elf). Jabouille won the event from pole position, and fellow French competitor Rene Arnoux took the fastest lap in the sister car.

The team steadily improved as turbo-charged engines became more and more popular. With further development of the power units they became increasingly reliable, and continuing with French drivers Renault were slowly grinding their way in to the record books. In 1981, Alain Prost took over from Jean-Pierre Jabouille after an accident in Canada ended his career prematurely. Prost would go on to show the world he had the pace to become champion, something he achieved four times in the eighties and nineties.

The closest this first incarnation of Renault came to the constructors title was in 1983, Prost claiming four wins and three other podiums. Ferrari beat them to the trophy by ten points, but both squads took four wins and the Scuderia only managed one extra podium. Unfortunately it would be the closest the team ever got to the title before returning many years later, the company deciding to pack up and leave after the 1985 season. The Renault company were facing a financial crisis and the Formula One team was first to go. They supplied engines to three teams in 1986, but it was a swan-song as the name left the sport entirely in 1987.

Success With Engine Building

In 1989 though, Renault returned as an engine supplier, teaming up with Williams and developing the formula’s first V10 unit. By the sixth race in Canada, they had won their first victory as a supplier and the results continued to poor in over the next nine years. With Williams, Renault managed five constructor titles and one with Benetton. Renault pulled out of the sport in after the 1997 season, but they wouldn’t be gone for too long.

From Toleman To Benetton To Renault

To see how Renault returned to Formula One as a constructor, we have to back in time to 1981 and the creation of the Toleman team. While Ted Toleman’s team never used Renault engine units, or in fact have any association with the French company, they would, after five years of few results, be brought out by the Benetton family. Just prior to this transaction though, Toleman did launch Ayrton Senna into the sport, debuting the Brazilian in 1984 and managing the team’s three best results in its short history. Two third place finishes and second was all they could achieve, but the promise of Senna’s ability was clear to see and in a tragically short career, Ayrton would win three titles and many, many races.

In 1985 though, Benetton purchased and re-branded the team. In 1990 Flavio Briatore was hired to run the outfit having impressed the company by becoming a successful franchisee of the chain of clothing shops in America (Briatore essentially launched Benetton in America). The F1 team achieved some great successes, most notably with Michael Schumacher in the early-to-mid-nineties, and they won their first and only constructors title with Renault power in 1995.

Unfortunately for the squad though, Schumacher left in 1996 to join Ferrari, the German taking several key staff with him. The team fell into a slump and only managed one further victory, that being thanks to Gerhard Berger in ‘97 German Grand Prix. Renault pulled out of the sport temporarily and Briatore was fired. The team fell into a decline that would only be lifted in 2000. The turn of the millennium saw the announcement that Renault would return to the sport, but instead of facing the costs of setting up a new team, they instead chose to buy-out the Benetton operation.

Although the team continued to race under the Italian clothing company’s name for a couple of years, ownership had changed in 2000 and Renault returned. The French squad set about slowly rebuilding the team, re-hiring Briatore who, in 2002 hired Fernando Alonso as a test driver. By 2003, the Spaniard had been promoted to the race team and the fireworks were lit.

The team’s first victory in their new guise happened in Hungary 2003 when Alonso gave the world a driving lesson. It would eventually become the first of many, but Renault would still have to wait for another couple of years before really going for the title. 2004 saw the team take their second win, this time at Monaco and courtesy of Jarno Trulli. And in 2005, Renault started as they meant to go on with a victory and third-place finish at the first race.

2005 and 2006 were Renault’s years with two constructor titles and two drivers titles for Alonso. Of the 37 races over those two years, the team won 16, as well as many podiums and pole positions. The team’s future in the sport was under question throughout this time though, as the Renault company appeared to be vague about the team’s future involvement in Formula One. Renault’s CEO Carlos Ghosn eventually stated that Formula One had become more of an investment for the company, but despite this and all their successes, one cannot help but feel the team would be pulled if they consistently failed to win. Which, unfortunately, is exactly what they’re doing at the moment.

The last season-and-a-bit have been difficult for the team as Alonso left and then rejoined. Their last victory was at Suzuka, Japan in 2006, and it looks as though they’ll go through 2008 without a win as well. And with further rumour that Alonso may once again leave, combined with the impending retirement of Benetton and now Renault boss Flavio Briatore, one has to wonder how long Renault will continue.

Original article by BlogF1.

Team History: Renault

Heikki Kovalainen has been doing a pretty good job at McLaren, and even though he made a silly mistake in Australia, the pace of the Finn has impressed many. But having made his peace with Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali by way of a handshake, it seems McLaren chief Ron Dennis has turned his attention to Renault’s Flavio Briatore. It is often said that Dennis didn’t handle Fernando Alonso very well while the Spaniard was at the Woking stable, and Alonso himself has stated that he is happier now he has returned to Renault. So why oh why has Dennis taken the opportunity to question Briatore’s management technique?

The question results from Dennis being quoted as saying that McLaren have systematically rebuilt Kovalainen into a confident racing driver after his time at Renault. The words uttered by Dennis are quite strong and definitely come across as a slap to the face of Briatore.

Heikki is a guy who was systematically taken apart last year and we have systematically put him back together again.

It [Heikki's time at Renault] is a story about how this guy lost his motivation and was misguided in how he should go about his physical preparation. But credit to Martin [Whitmarsh] and the guys who analyse all of the potential candidates, going back to lesser formulae. We look for the patterns. Where was the driving skill? Who was in the best team? When we applied those criteria he [Kovalainen] was miles ahead of any other option. Ron Dennis.

I think it is fair to say that Kovalainen is doing well at McLaren, perhaps better then he was at Renault. And when Heikki made a sily mistake, Dennis immediately defended his young driver. Roll back twelve months and Flavio Briatore was scolding his drivers after a dismal start to Renault’s 2007 campaign.

It could be that Dennis is trying to reaffirm his ability to nurture drivers, it could be a simple bow shot to Renault. Or it could even be a realisation that Heikki needs little confidence boosters like these to help him along his way. Either way, part of Dennis’s speech is clearly directed towards Briatore and the words chosen are pretty strong.

Original article by BlogF1.

Dennis Hits Out At Briatore’s Management Style

The team finished third in the 2007 constructors race, fourth on merit had McLaren been allowed to continue. It isn’t a great result when you’re used to winning and setting the pace for others to follow. The R27 was a troubled car, but in the same breath it wasn’t a complete disaster either. Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen managed to scrape a few points at most races, both drivers becoming fairly consistent in the final half of the season. It wasn’t enough to convince the management though and 2008 will see a new line-up. Fisichella was unceremoniously dumped, but this was something that I don’t think surprised many. Kovalainen essentially swapped places with Alonso and the double world champion returns to his home team and rekindles his relationship with Briatore.

The Drivers

I would imagine Fernando Alonso will be trying his best to forget his 2007 campaign. Although the Spaniard was in with a shout of the drivers title up until the final race, the political battles, relationship issues and personality clashes that caused the team headaches during the year must have weighed heavy on Alonso’s mind. When your sole job is to drive a car as fast as possible you don’t want to be explaining to your boss why you chose to hold up your team mate during a qualifying session.

Alas, Fernando will quickly move on if he hasn’t already done so. In fact a recent article on one of the news sites suggested the fued, if you can it that, between himself and Lewis Hamilton is over. Alonso needs to focus on the new R28 and work on extracting the maximum from it. Familiar surroundings will be advantageous for Fernando, and I bet the team were pretty happy to hear of his return. Alonso may not add six tenths to the speed of the car, but his knowledge of how things are done at Renault is probably worth a couple. Knowing how the mechanics work, how they think and they solve problems all helps during the pressurised event of a grand prix.

However, despite knowing all that he does, and having all the experience of winning that he does, 2008 will not be a walk-in-the-park for Fernando. Last year Alonso faced his strongest competition to date from the sister car in the team. Lewis Hamilton showed Alonso from the very first race that he wasn’t going to stand aside and this is probably an equivalent of a curve-ball for Alonso. Returning to Renault though, may not be the solution.

For sure Alonso is now away from McLaren and Hamilton. He has let his hair grow and will undoubtedly sport some new-fangled facial hair at some point this season, but his team mate at Renault may bring back a few unwanted memories from last year.

Nelson Piquet Jr, son of former world champion Nelson Piquet, has finally been promoted to Formula One and will be sitting alongside Alonso in the sister R28. From watching Piquet Jr’s performances in GP2, his battles with eventual champion Hamilton, it shows that Nelson is certainly a competitive spirit. And talented to boot.

2008 will be Jr’s rookie season, but the Brazilian has spent last year testing for the team and getting know everyone and everything. We regularly saw him on the pitwall during races and while Alonso is Briatore’s bambino, Piquet maybe about to steal the limelight. Like Hamilton said this time last year, Piquet has resigned himself to being number two, but has also stated that he will push for podiums/wins if the car and circumstance allow.

Ultimately experience should prevail, although I believe I said that last year and the McLaren duo ended up on 109 points each. But in more comfortable surroundings Alonso will settle in quickly and depending on where the car is, push hard for 2008 or focus on 2009.

The Car

The R27 didn’t live up to the R26 from Renault’s most recent championship-winning season. Certainly Alonso made up some of the pace, but it is unfair to lump all the blame on Fisichella’s and Kovalainen’s shoulders. However, Alonso has been with Renault since the early December and has been testing hard in Spain over the winter. Where has that left the car? Worryingly off the pace actually. Testing is difficult to assess and it would be presumptuous to gauge the true pace of a car from a few laps around a circuit that isn’t necessarily on the calendar. Even comparing one team to another is tricky, but reading comments from drivers, seeing how the team work during the test and looking to see how changes are made to the car all paint a vague picture. For Renault, the car isn’t particularly pacey in terms of lap times, but other than that nothing else appears out of the ordinary.

The R28 was built early and tested even before its launch. At times Alonso and Piquet have been in the top six, others they’ve propped up the timing sheets. But the car hasn’t visibly changed that much since January, suggesting that the direction the car was taken in during the design stage was good. The team haven’t been panicking during the test session and they’ve had no serious problems over the winter. The comments from the drivers have been mixed. They started out as optimistic, both drivers suggesting they could fight for podiums. Recently though the tone has changed and now Alonso is speaking of “seventh to ninth”, which is about where the team were last season. Piquet too has revised his optimism and is now saying: “We are not fighting the McLarens. We are trying to fight BMW and Red Bull and Williams. We are not expecting to win races.” Hopefully development during the course of the year will bring them closer to the top two or three.

The Prediction

With Alonso onboard I would be surprised if they weren’t fighting for the 2009 titles, but this year is 2008 and that is a totally different kettle of fish. Depending on where BMW fall on the grid, Renault will either see themselves move ahead or remain behind. They should be able to stay ahead of Red Bull, if anything to save the embarrassment; Renault supply engines to Red Bull. I think the fate of this year depends of the competitiveness of the BMW F1.08 and not on the R28. The car appears to have made very little progress, although the actual team is likely to be stronger. Therefore it is down to the other teams to either succeed or fail.

Original article by BlogF1.

F12008: Renault

I think for me it was very easy because I knew the team already and it was very easy to work with the test team and first day I was in the factory, doing the seat fitting, it was like time had not moved on. It was like the end of 2006, I am very happy and comfortable with everybody in the team, and am very happy. Fernando Alonso.

I had a great role with the team last year, got to know everybody in the factory, race and test team. It was a great year. Everything worked well, got the race drive.

As a team, having Fernando alongside me now, he has a lot of experience, we have great experience together. The team won two championships and if they did it once they can do it again. Nelson Piquet Jr.

Despite being the number two to Fernando Alonso, Piquet was upbeat about his chances to claim some podiums, but was careful not to get too excited by the moment.

If car is able to do podiums I try to do podiums, if it can win then we try to win. I try to do my best and have a good year. Melbourne still seems a long way off to me. We have a lot of work to do beforehand, and I am focused on the next test sessions and our development programme.

My aim this year is to get the maximum out of the package, and to do a good job for the team. There will be a lot to learn and I not underestimating the challenge of Formula One. Nelson Piquet Jr.

More Photographs Of The R28

Original article by BlogF1.

Renault R28: More Information & Photos

After claiming the constructors title in 2005 and 2006, the departure of Fernando Alonso to McLaren sparked a downward trend for the team over the winter and their 2007 car was not as good. Although continuity was kept with Giancarlo Fisichella, rookie team mate Heikki Kovalainen took a while to settle in to the team. The squad only managed to collect 51 points and finished third (fourth if you include McLaren) behind BMW last year. However, through the complicated mess of last season comes the return of Alonso, and although the double world champion will again be partnered with a rookie, it is hoped the boosted morale will lift the team back to its feet again.

The R28 has already made its track debut with Alonso running the new chassis around Valencia last week. The initial feedback was good and no doubt the car will be tweaked further before the 2008 season begins in Australia in March.

There is only one winner of the championship, so it is not easy, but we need to be there fighting for the podiums and a 50 percent chance each time we start to be in the top four.

Fernando back in Renault is a big motivation, we are very happy, we know him for many years. To have him back is fantastic for Renault, for the team and our partners. Nelsinho is a good asset, we have another young driver. People always talk about why we don’t have a French driver, but we also achieve to have a super young French driver for the future. I am happy. We start the season with a high motivation and we want to be the best. Flavio Briatore.

2007 was a very poor year by our standards. For 2008, there are high expectations inside and outside the team, and it is down to us to give the drivers a competitive car. We have put the problems from 2007 behind us and in terms of the car design, we have looked at the problem afresh.

The team pushed very hard in all areas, and particularly on the aerodynamics. The front end of the car has come in for special attention with a brand new front wing and the front suspension. The rear end has also been heavily reworked, and we haven’t neglected the basics.

The car ran reliably in its first test, and we made encouraging progress on performance development last week. We are confident that the advances we have seen in the wind tunnel will be reflected on track. Bob Bell.

I know the team, the working methods and how Renault goes racing. We got down to work straight away, and I immediately felt comfortable with the engineers and mechanics. The welcome from the team was fantastic, and saw I lot of people I knew from when I was here before. I am happy to be back at Renault, and I think I will be more relaxed ahead of the new season. Fernando Alonso.

From first impressions, the car looks like a solid development from the R27, conforming to the standard of cars thus far with tightly sculptured sidepods, a bridged front wing and smoother lines flowing towards the rear. Renault have also moved away from mounting the mirrors on the sidepod, reverting to the tradition monocoque position. It was found last year that mounting the mirrors on the sidepods caused drivers to not see properly due to the increased vibrations around that part of the car.

Photographs Of The R28

Original article by BlogF1.

Renault R28: Launch & Photos

Renault also confirmed that current test driver Nelsinho Piquet, son of the 1981, ‘83 and ‘87 world champion, will partner Alonso in the R28, due to be tested in Valencia in mid-January and officially launched on 31st January in Paris.

Fernando and Nelsinho will form one of the most exciting driver line up of 2008. We are delighted to be welcoming Fernando back home to the team where he enjoyed his greatest success. His abilities as a driver and a team leader are well known, and we look forward to forging another strong partnership.

What’s more, he knows the team well and how we operate; he will feel comfortable straight away in this environment.

Nelsinho is one of the most promising young talents in motorsport. After his success in GP2, he has spent a year learning the ropes as our test driver and getting to know the team; he is now ready to step up to the next level. Flavio Briatore.

After winning two titles with the squad in 2005 and 2006, Alonso left to join McLaren for the 2007 season. While the MP4-22 car was fast and Alonso enjoyed victories and podiums, almost taking a third title, the inter-team battles left Alonso struggling for rapport and support. It was mutually decided in October that Alonso would be free of his contract for next season, and was linked to many teams in the mean time, notably Red Bull Racing, Toyota and Honda. However, for 2008, Renault appears to be the best option, although Red Bull and Honda are expected to improve during the upcoming season.

I am delighted to be returning to Renault. This is the team where I grew up as a driver in Formula One. Now it is time for us to begin a new chapter together.

I am very excited about working with this great team once more, and confident that together we can move back to the front of the field. Renault had a difficult year in 2007, but I know that the team has real strength in depth. I am confident they can produce a fast and competitive car and be back at the top in 2008. Fernando Alonso.

In 2007, the Renault team struggled with an under-performing chassis and rookie driver in the second car. Giancarlo Fisichella, although praised by the squad for doing well with a poor car, has since tested for Force India, and today’s news confirms his exit from the Anglo-French team. If Force India can afford the Italian, the Silverstone-based team are realistically his last chance for a seat for next season. Meanwhile, Heikki Kovalainen, who debuted with Renault in 2007 and improved well throughout the year, is now left high and dry. Rumours have linked the Finn to McLaren, who are still assessing their options. A recent team statement from Woking said that they will know who their drivers will be by the end of the year and an announcement will be made in early January.

Renault also announced reigning 2007 F3 Euro Series champion Romain Grosjean as the teams test driver.

Original article by BlogF1.

Fernando Alonso Announces Return To Renault

Symonds explained that Heikki suffered a fuel system problem on Friday and this limited his time on the circuit. This in turn led to a poor qualifying performance which resulted in a what can only be described as a disastrous race for the 25 year old. Symonds went on to say that Friday is important for all the drivers, and if it goes wrong from the start, the rest of the meeting can be very difficult.

What happens on Friday has a knock-on effect all the way through the weekend, and unfortunately he didn’t have a good Friday, he didn’t have a good Saturday. A lot of time lost with some problems on the fuel system, and of course partly the weather on Friday as well. Pat Symonds.

Heikki took a different view to his own performance, and appears to be very hard on himself in the hope that there won’t be a repeat of this in the coming races. Flavio has already stated that Kovalainen needs to redeem himself in Malaysia, and with Nelson Piquet Jr waiting in the wings, Heikki will need to improve if he is to keep his seat.

We had a lot of problems on Friday and Saturday so I did miss quite a lot of track time and as it’s a new circuit [to me] it probably would have helped me a little bit. But in any case, it should not be an excuse.

It’s very disappointing and I should have been able to do a lot better than this. But in any case it didn’t happen, and all we can do is forget about it and go to Malaysia with our heads up again and start from zero. Heikki Kovalainen.

Heikki seems to be aware of the errors he made, and appears to be taking the public comments made by his employer well. While it may not be the best way to handle drivers, Flavio will be hoping that the Renault car and its pilots will be on better form if they are to have any chance of fighting for the title again in 2007.

Original article by BlogF1.

Symonds Defends Kovalainen

The launch took place in Amsterdam, indicating the new relationship the team has with title sponsor ING. Mild Seven have finally left the team following the ban on tobacco advertising, and the new R27 is sporting a striking new livery. Introducing INGs colours of orange, white and dark blue, gone is the light blue that was so closely associated with previous driver and reigning champion Fernando Alonso.

I am personally still undecided about the new livery*. It is certainly eye-catching, and I’m sure we won’t have too much trouble telling the cars apart on the race track – a problem that plagued last year with Toyota, McLaren and the then Midland team looking so similar. I think the yellow doesn’t go to well with the orange and blue, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

From a technical standpoint, Renault have already had the car photographed at various shakedowns and test over the past week or so, and the car is certainly different from the outside. The shaply mirrors that come from the sidepods are striking, and the curvature of the sidepods make the car really stand out.

Lead driver Giancarlo remains with the team for another year, but after being comprehensively beaten by Alonso for the previous two seasons, the Italian has a lot of weight on his shoulders right now. Over the winter Giancarlo has acknowledged the pressure he is under, but has remained optimistic and feels that this could be his year.

The spirit of the team is strong after two fantastic seasons, and we are feeling optimistic. The team has shown its confidence in me for the new season, and I am determined to repay that in the best way possible, out on track. The team knows how to design winning cars capable of fighting for the championship. That means there is a fantastic opportunity for me this year, and I am determined to make the most of it. Giancarlo Fisichella.

Giancarlo will be partnered with rookie driver Heikki Kovalainen from Finland. While Heikki is yet to race, he has been a Renault tester for over a year and has notched up many thousands of kilometres in Renaults. Heikki has impressed team managers and fans all over the world, but his real test will come in March when he takes to the grid for the first time in a Formula One car.

I am very excited about the new season, but I know that so far, I have achieved nothing at all. I pushed myself very hard last year in testing, to show the team that I was capable of doing the job. They had faith in me, and now it is my turn to deliver on that promise. It is a big privilege for a rookie driver to start his career in a race-winning car, and I am focused on doing it justice. This will be a season where I have a lot to learn, and I need to keep mistakes to a minimum. There will be pressure, but that will come from me, because I always drive myself to improve in every area. Overall, I am expecting 2007 to be a fantastic year for me. I am in the best possible place to start my career, and my focus is on preparing as thoroughly as possible for the first race – and the sixteen to come after that. Heikki Kovalainen.

Renault F1 Team President – Alain Dassas – asserted his goals for the upcoming season, and spoke of continued success and good competition.

Double championship success in 2005 and 2006 has earned Renault its status as a major force in Formula One. Our Formula One championship success is a benchmark of excellence that we aim to meet in every area of our operations. The Renault F1 Team’s performance culture reflects the ambitious objectives of our company-wide plan, Renault Commitment 2009. Consecutive double championships are concrete proof that Renault can win in a demanding environment where success demands quality, technical excellence and reliability. Alain Dassas.

* I’ve decided, I like the new livery. It’s a bit busy, but it is quite nice. But then, I always say that about new Formula One cars!

Images courtesy of RenaultF1.

Original article by BlogF1.

Renault Launch The R27