The Renault formula one team was handed a two year suspended ban in the latest controversy to hit the team. The team pleaded guilty to the charge that Flavio Briatore has asked Nelsinho Piquet to crash deliberately at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix in order for Fernando Alonso to score more points during that race. The full text of the press release follows later in the article.

Furthermore Flavio Briatore has been banished from the sport of formula one forever. Pat Symonds got a similar punishment but with a lesser timeframe of only 5 years.

But the decision has not went down well with fans. Most believe that the penalty given to the Renault formula one team is too light. Most notably Brit fans and their press who were OK with the concept of a suspended sentence for the McLaren team when they were punished suddenly disagree with the concept of suspended bans.

Anyway, it seems that formula one is losing its credibility and sheen, hawks like Flavio dont deserve to be in the sport of formula one. They cheat fans and fix races which is unacceptable to all.

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.