Flavio Briatore is quitting Renault and Pat Symonds is stepping down too as Renault decides not to dispute claims that the Nelson Piquet Junior was ordered to deliberately crash his Formula One car at last year’s Singapore grand prix.

The crash resulted in Renault’s other driver, Fernando Alonso, winning the race. The high profile figures of Briatore and Symonds have quit before Renault appears in front of the FIA to face the allegations.

The Renault Formula One team has released a statement saying: “The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore grand prix. It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore, and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.

“Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris, the team will not make any further comment.”

The World Motor Sports Council extraordinary meeting scheduled to take place on Monday will go ahead, as it may decide to impose severe sanctions on the Renault Formula One team. Renault is facing expulsion from the Formula One competition despite Briatore’s resignation, and more than 700 people in the team are now facing an uncertain future.

The Renault Formula Team has been charged with conspiring with its driver and is not defending the charge. Above, a video of the events of the Singapore grand prix last year and the Piquet crash.

Source | The Guardian