September 21, 2009

RENAULT Banned for two years, Briatore Banned for life

Renault's penalty is suspended. So they can race with the penalty hanging over their heads... Symonds gets a five year ban.
Briatore cannot have anything to do with F1 the FIA including management. This will make the driver's market quite interesting.




Renault got off scot free because the only way the sentence would take effect is if they commit a similar offense which, you would all agree, is extremely unlikely.

Piquet, who was a co-conspirator, gets off scot free though I cannot imagine any team wanting to hire this guy ever again.

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 HERE

12 comments:

  1. oh man..........guess whos not coming to dinner.....

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  2. So which current F1 drivers are managed by Briatore and how could they get out of their contracts? Could this mean that some guys will have to give up their career if Briatore doesn't release them?

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  3. The FIA's credibility reached more depth than the Marianas Islands fall, I feel so sorry the FOTA championship didn't go ahead........

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  4. Briatore has his hands in a lot of people's contracts, Webber, Kovalainen, for sure...

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  5. So my guess is that Ghosn will move forward and likely pull the plug on any remaining Renault involvement with F1. Would Formula Renault and the engine supply side of their business go away as well?

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  6. @Murph, I think Renault will stay, that was the whole point of all this. They would look even worse if they left. Plus Renault always did ok financially in F1 and the associated racing series it provides engines for.

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  7. Funny how they don't call things by their name. A suspended ban is not a ban at all, it's called a probation for two years. A ban is what they gave to Briatore, or what they gave Toyota in WRC back in the 90's.

    According to Autosport afected drivers are Webber, Kovalainen, Grosjean and Alonso. They failed to mention Piquet Jr, who I think will involved in many years of litigation before he is able to drive a racing car again. Meaning by that that Briatore will not be willing to release him and as a result he will continue to be "associated" with Briatore.

    Expect some "Jerry Maguire" strategies this week!

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  8. I would expect a tell all book from Flavio Flav too....

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  9. Everyone of those contracts must have a MAE or MAC clause (Material Adverse Effect or Change). Obviously, Flav's ban materially impairs his ability to deliver his services or that of his driver's to perform the obligations of the contract. Therefore, they must have an out (if not, then no lawyers were involved in the signing of those contracts!)

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  10. Alonso needs a job. OH, he already has one.

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  11. With the money that most of those drivers have, I'm sure there's a way to pay plenty of lawyers to get them out of their contracts with Briatore. That said, It sounds like he would have a hard time holding them to their contracts if he can't honor his end of it.

    Does this mean we'll see Briatore managing Earnhardt Jr or Tony Stewart next year?

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  12. Piquet -> Mosley -> Nick Worth -> Manor GP

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