F1 probe race-fixing over Nelson Piquet Singapore crash

By Mirror Sport 31/08/2009
The FIS has launched an investigation into allegations of race-fixing at last year's Singapore Grand Prix.
Brazilian TV has claimed officials are studying events surrounding Nelson Piquet's crash on lap 14 of the sport's first night race.
The timing was crucial in handing victory to his Renault team-mate, double champion Fernando Alonso, who had just pitted for fuel.
Last night Renault boss Flavio Briatore was not available for comment.

crash video anyone?

#F1 BREAKING NEWS: FIA to investigate races in which Piquet Jnr "suspiciously did NOT crash"

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Even if he had to "take a dive", he had to do it perfectly in order to get a SC. And i really don't think Renault would've taken that big of a gamble. It's not IRL when you touch the wall and the yellow comes out.

Oh, by the way, 9/11 WAS an inside job (you can see the explosions, people!)

"If the investigation finds out that that is what happened then I think there is going to be a lot of trouble," he said. "You hear of these things happening with jockeys and in football and it has led to all sorts of trouble, hasn't it?

"If it is true then it is a very serious situation. But it could just be a rumour and Nelson is just annoyed that he has been fired."

Renault probe deeper than Singapore

Problems for team

Sep.2 (GMM) The FIA's investigation into Renault runs even deeper than the sensational rumour that Nelson Piquet was told to crash on purpose during the 2008 Singapore grand prix.

The Independent newspaper in Britain quoted a source within the sport's governing body as saying "other issues above and beyond Singapore are also to be looked at".

The investigations reportedly began at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend, with engineering boss Pat Symonds and Fernando Alonso among "senior Renault figures" interviewed multiple times, the source added.

The Daily Express newspaper, reporting that team boss Flavio Briatore was also interviewed by a lawyer in Belgium, said Renault executives have already denied the Piquet claims to the FIA.

"Several other engineering staff were also questioned", the newspaper added, while "data and transmission recordings have been removed for examination".

Two men historically close to the French owned team however have questioned whether the race-fixing rumours are true.

Denis Chevrier left the team over the winter, but he was still Renault's engine chief in Singapore last year.

"In my personal capacity I did not have knowledge of the strategy during the 2008 grand prix of Singapore," he told French radio RMC, "but I can ensure you that if this is true then it was in radical opposition to the attitude of Renault."

From a driver's perspective, Franck Montagny - a Renault F1 tester earlier this decade - said he "did not believe" the claims could be true.

"Even when you are asked to let someone pass it is annoying," he said, "but to be made to deliberately have an accident is really something else."

Montagny called the rumours "science fiction" and doubted that Briatore could have asked one of his drivers to crash.

"Not even in a dream," the Frenchman said in an interview with 20minutes.fr. "Nobody can give instructions like that; I've never heard anything like that in formula one."