Crashgate

To me it doesn't really shed any light.

Obviously everybody involved would be aware that the radios would be recorded. And would be careful not to expose themselves.

Symonds did say something at one point along the lines of "It's going to be alright" when an engineer was questioning the new strategies.. This could be interpreted as him knowing "something", but on the other hand, it doesn't really prove anything.
 
[inaudible] my arse. :p

The only really significant things I can see out of the transcripts are Nelson asking what lap he is on, and Symonds reassuring the engineer that the change in Alonso's strategy will be fine. On it's own, this transcript is not enough to secure any sort of conviction. The telemetry is interesting but still not conclusive. I imagine the FIA are struggling to build a convincing case, hence the offer of immunity to Symonds in addition to Piquet. It still doesn't add up though. Why offer two out of three conspirators immunity?
 
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I don't think they can be convicted. The piquets are walking on very thin ice here.
 
Autosport said:
Briatore and Symonds leave Renault

By Matt Beer Wednesday, September 16th 2009, 11:10 GMT

Renault has announced that team boss Flavio Briatore and engineering chief Pat Symonds have parted company with the team and that it will "not dispute" the allegations of race-fixing when it appears before the World Motor Sport Council next week.

The team had been accused of asking driver Nelson Piquet to crash deliberately in order to cause a safety car period that would work to his team-mate Fernando Alonso's advantage. The Spaniard went on to win the race.

"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix," said a statement from the team.

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

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

More details to follow...
 
^ Wow, now there's a massive bombshell... This is definitely in order to take the pressure off the team.


Also, Grandprix.com is floating out the possibility of Olivier Quesnel leaving PSA's motorsport division and heading Renault.

DON'T. YOU. DARE. LEAVE. PEUGEOT. SPORT.
 
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Interesting indeed. The problem now is that neither Briatore and Symonds are obliged to take the stand at the WMSC hearing on the 21st as they're no longer employees of Renault.
 
crazy turn, can't see Briatore being happy about it.

They are pulling a McLaren basically and getting the bad apples out of the team so the punishment isn't as harsh
 
Briatore, Symonds and the Piquets should have a tag team fight to the death. Only way you can settle this now.
 
Very interesting to see what happens now, the 3 individuals involved in the scandal are no longer at the team, from what we have seen there is no other person at the team who was involved or knew about it. I'd imagine Renault will get a fine, possible a suspended ban whilst Briatore and Symonds will get probably be banned from working within the sport again.
 
IIRC earlier Mosley said, that last year's results will not be affected or changed in any way, so the penalty must be either a ban or a fine, i'd say around $25 million.
 
Well, even if they hadn't confessed it still would've been quite clear that the crash was intentional. Just look at the telemetry from the crash lap (not unusual at all:rolleyes:)

http://img17.imageshack.**/img17/3021/screenshot002bz.jpg
 
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