Renault accuse Piquets of blackmail

Eurosport - Sat, 12 Sep 14:49:00 2009

Renault have accused their former driver Nelson Piquet Jr and his father of attempted blackmail and have commenced criminal proceedings in France against the two Brazilians.

FORMULA 1 2009 Flavio Briatore Nelson Piquet (Renault) - 0

The team face a hearing in Paris on September 21 after allegations were made that they ordered Piquet Jr to crash deliberately at last year's Singapore Grand Prix to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win the race.

If found guilty, the team could be kicked out of the championship.

Renault broke their silence on the matter at the Italian GP after documents were leaked detailing Piquet's allegations to the governing FIA.

"The ING Renault F1 Team and its managing director Flavio Briatore personally, wish to state that they have commenced criminal proceedings against Nelson Piquet Junior and Nelson Piquet Senior in France," the team statement said.

It accused the pair of making "false allegations and a related attempt to blackmail the team into allowing Mr Piquet Jr to drive for the remainder of the 2009 season".

The team, whose main factory is in Enstone, Oxfordshire, said the matter would also be referred to police in Britain.

Piquet Jr responded by insisting he had told the truth - and said he would not be "bullied" by Renault a second time.

"Regarding the current FIA investigation, I confirm that I have cooperated fully and honestly with the sport's governing body," he stated.

"Because I am telling the truth I have nothing to fear, whether from the ING Renault Team or Mr Briatore and whilst I am well aware of the power and influence of those being investigated, and the vast resources at their disposal, I will not be bullied again into making a decision I regret.

"I have every confidence in the FIA investigation and World Motor Sport Council and I will be making no further comment until the conclusion of the hearing of September 21, 2009."

He was replaced as a Renault driver in August after he had failed to score a point in 10 races. His father and namesake was a triple world champion who has closely guided his son's career.

Alonso said at the Italian GP on Thursday he had been unaware of any plan cooked up by his team in Singapore.

"I am very surprised. I cannot imagine these things or this situation," he said.

The accident, at a point on the track where cars cannot be swiftly removed, came just after Alonso had refuelled after a very short first stint.

The safety car was then deployed, to the Spaniard's advantage.

Reuters

Comment 203 - 222 of 222

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  1. If Piquet crashed the car on team orders, it makes­ sense to give him immunity and go after those who gave­ the orders. If you want to stay on the team, you best­ follow team orders. I'm not defending Piquet's­ decision to follow those orders if given. Nobody knows­ what evidence the FIA may be looking at. There may be­ more than just Piquet's words. If a team is­ intentionally crashing cars to bring out the safety­ car, I don't want them or any other team to be able­ to do it.

    From fishblue6, on Sun 13 Sep 9:38PM
  2. I guess I don't know how stupid people really are. ­ No team managers on the planet would order another­ driver to intentionally crash. Piquet should be banned­ from F-1 for life. And his father is nothing but a­ piece of garbadge if he put his son up to these­ riduculous claims. Helping a team mate is one thing,­ but intentional crash is not. You have 20 of the best­ drivers in the best cars in the world. Piquet must­ live on fantasy island. Either way he is a loser. If­ he was ordered to crash and took the order, he's an­ idiot and lost all credability, if he is making this­ up, likewise he has no credibilty.

    From sarg g, on Sat 12 Sep 4:37PM
  3. brialonso*sh*l

    From sven, on Sat 12 Sep 11:09AM
  4. Well Justin, if you don't like you don't have­ to read it.

    From the real adrian, on Sat 12 Sep 11:08AM
  5. THIS FORUM SHOULD BE SCRAPPED - IT IA ALL TOO MUCH LIKE­ A BUNCH OF KIDS BICKERING IN THE SCHOOL GROUND.­

    YAHOO, DO THE RIGHT THING AND PULL IT - IT IS A TOTAL­ WASTE OF TIME !

    JDC

    From Justin, on Sat 12 Sep 8:51AM
  6. I think this is a real shame to motor sport by having­ these allegations. If it is true, ( as it no doubt is ­ because how much money is involved ) they shoul be­ banned. F1 isnt the same anymore, this season hsnt been­ very good i just hope next season will be better.

    From Stephen, on Sat 12 Sep 8:51AM
  7. Looking at the crash footage it does seem an odd place­ to crash....... And who would trust a man who wears­ blue tinted glasses?!?!?!?! HAHA.

    From Mike, on Sat 12 Sep 8:38AM
  8. so now we got a twist over here.. but in the end­ nothing will happen.. what a drama..!

    From carlamms, on Sat 12 Sep 1:58AM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Star wars is so 1970s like cheating at scelextrics ­ were still into both.

    From iancampbell11, on Sat 12 Sep 12:30AM
  10. Trouble is with you lot, the old days its outside for a­ punch up. You can whinge on for eternity on the­ internet and never resolve anything. Being a tough guy­ on a keypad is a wimp. Grow up all of you.

    From keithonholiday, on Fri 11 Sep 11:35PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    It is after all, a French connection, and therefore,­ who cares what the vichy French do. Ya ya ya, I know,­ Briatore-Italian, the other guy Brazilian, it is still­ a dubious French thing.

    From harleyboy, on Fri 11 Sep 10:20PM
  12. More to the point, do Renault want to remain in F1­ after Renault posted the greatest loss on their­ accounts in the history of the company. Perhaps this­ saga will give them a reason to quit.

    From TYGERZI, on Fri 11 Sep 10:18PM
  13. This thing has got so stupid and paltry now that I am­ switching it of for a while I watch Monza.

    From wizzo, on Fri 11 Sep 10:11PM
  14. Wrong again mungo, if you look at my ID it is B.Netzer­ not just netzer. Now I know that isn't a big deal­ but my surname is Netzer I am in fact German and my­ forename begins with B. Easy stuff to understand.

    Now­ I used to post with the ID of Netzer because that is­ what I get called, this goes back to my school days and­ the fashion has continued. But the other netzer­ started posting the religious stuff and not­ surprisingly everyone thought that was me. So I­ changed to B.Netzer.

    So I have not got the Lord­ Almighty on my side unfortunately.

    From B.Netzer, on Fri 11 Sep 9:17PM
  15. From a neutral perspective having read every single­ post I can see that mungo, Touronroute and jean j just­ seem to be on this forum to abuse people why don't­ you actually talk about the topic rather then picking a­ fight with others. Argue your point properly rather­ than abusing people who disagree with you. That said­ its a forum spelling isn't a major thing if you­ don't understand whats someones put just tell them­ you don't. Anyway back to f1 I recon this is so­ clearly true and the only hing Pique did wrong was to­ go along with it they should all be prosecuted

    From Flut F, on Fri 11 Sep 8:51PM
  16. Actually Jean Yes. The biggest, most self opinionated,­ "Im always right " bigot on here is­ Touronroute.

    From the real adrian, on Fri 11 Sep 8:49PM
  17. Jean, you ask if anyone knows anything about F1, and­ then don't actually say anything about F1. All you­ have done is insult me and be offensive, and you expect­ me not to respond? What is it with you people? ­ Typical school yard bullies the lot of you, all in a­ fluster and redirecting because you didn't get the­ 'victim' response you were after.

    If you want­ to discuss F1, then say something about F1 and start a­ debate on F1. I will happily debate the sport ad­ infinitum.

    But, if you want to just insult people and­ be rude and offensive, then do not claim to be the­ victim when the target of your vile nature decides to­ turn around and say something back.

    So what is it­ going to be? Another post trying to profess you are­ the innocent party and I'm the big nasty out to­ ruin your enjoyment on this site? Another insulting­ and abusive message showing everyone what a horrible­ person you are? Or an F1 related comment about the­ above story?

    I'll leave the choice up to you -­ your response will be a great insight for all to see.

    From SixOneSix, on Fri 11 Sep 8:39PM
  18. mungo, where on this thread have I been abusive? And­ yet you started by being insulting towards me. So­ please don't claim the innocent. If you'd­ commented on the story, and I had disagreed with you, I­ would have said so, but remained respectful. But you­ chose not to, instead you chose the course that has led­ us to this point - where you start an argument and then­ cry foul.

    And Touronroute, the Brazilian thing is a­ spelling mistake and a typo. However, the failure to­ leave a space after a comma is a gramatical error, and­ it is one that is common to just about ALL of your­ posts. It is also one that I don't make. An­ occasional typo such as a missing letter due to the­ damaged keyboard on my laptop, or two letters swapping­ places due to typing quickly are very different to my­ spacebar not working at all.

    Really, if you two are­ going to continue down this path, then may I ask you­ both to really think about your comments before you­ make them. It barely classifies as a challenge arguing­ anything with either of you. It barely classifies as a­ challenge having to deal with you both at the same­ time.

    One of the reasons I invited Cont de M to engage­ me with reasoned thought out debate when he disagrees­ with me is because any kind of discussion that requires­ me to think is always welcome. I could deal with 50 of­ the pair of you and it would still leave me enough time­ and energy to study Theology or Quantum Mechanics.

    From SixOneSix, on Fri 11 Sep 8:27PM
  19. I understand the importance of different fuel loads­ very well, I just think reading about them in PRACTICE­ is boring. Qualifying is where the action is. And I­ have no interest in reporting anyone unles it is for­ racism. I really couldn't give a rat's arse­ what names you or Frances call me, that reflects on you­ both, not me.

    From Biggles, on Fri 11 Sep 8:19PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Ha ha jean j. Go take the pith out of thomeone elth.­ You nathty perthon. But i do agree wif you about 616

    From Bunnywabbit, on Fri 11 Sep 8:19PM
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