Crashgate will be Renault’s out from F1

UPDATE Renault could be gone from Formula One in six weeks despite swerving around the idea of withdrawing immediately from the sport in the wake of the race-fixing scandal which has brought down Flavio Briatore. They face a massive fine of at least $20million (£12.2m) when they face the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council on Monday in Paris, but it is the disgrace which the car company cannot accept.

The departure of Briatore and director of engineering Pat Symonds to avoid a grilling at the hearing came as Renault decided not to contest allegations that Nelson Piquet was ordered to crash his car in the Singapore Grand Prix. That allowed Fernando Alonso, who did not know of the plan, to go on and win.

Renault’s chief operating officer, Patrick Pelata, would not comment on the possibility that the French manufacturer could walk away. The Express

09/14/09 Renault has been rumored to be leaving F1 for a number of years. If they are found guilty of deliberately planning to have Nelson Piquet Jr. crash in Singapore last year so Fernando Alonso could win the race there is a good chance they will be banned from the sport for a period of time. We suspect that if that were to happen Renault will never return to F1. And as for Flavio Briatore, he was planning his retirement anyway. With their star driver, Fernando Alonso rumored to be headed to Ferrari, look for Renault to be the next manufacturer out of F1.