Flavio Briatore’s public shame heaps more pain on F1

Formula One is the FIA's flagship event, it is the one that generates the most income and commands the greatest coverage and yet continues to attract the worst kind of headlines.

The latest hit is possibly the most remarkable of all. Renault's decision not to contest the allegations that they deliberately crashed a car during last year's Singapore Grand Prix is an admission that they cheated on the most outrageous scale.

By asking Nelson Piquet jnr to drive into a wall to allow Fernando Alonso to move up the field behind a safety car, managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds not only put the life of the young Brazilian at risk, they also put other drivers in danger , while spectators could have been hit by flying debris should anything have gone drastically wrong.

The sport has already this year been rocked by Liegate', when Lewis Hamilton and McLaren were stripped of their podium finish and all points at the Australian Grand Prix after deliberately misleading stewards.

Before that there was Spygate', when McLaren were hit by a record £50million fine and thrown out of the 2008 constructors championship for stealing secrets from Ferrari.

As well as McLaren's deception in Australia. this season saw more early controversy when Brawn GP made a flying start with their split diffuser — much to the dismay of the teams left behind. And the threat of a breakaway championship has only just been averted after the FIA and the teams came to a compromise over a budget cap.

Renault are facing an FIA hearing in Paris next Monday and could still be thrown out of this season's competition, while Briatore and Symonds appear to have little or no future in the sport after admitting to such a reckless act.

The evidence against the pair was damning in the wake of Piquet Jnr providing the FIA's investigation team with two statements detailing what transpired in Singapore.

The 24-year-old claimed that, in a meeting with Briatore and Symonds a few hours before the race, he was told to crash his car, and, in a further discussion with the latter, at what point at which to do so on the circuit.

Although suspicions were roused at the time, the matter did not start to surface until just over a fortnight ago at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The claim is Nelson Piquet Snr, in the wake of his son being axed by Renault at the end of July, informed the FIA of what had unfolded.

The FIA's investigations led them to offer Piquet Jnr immunity against prosecution in return for his testimony.

Telemetry data was especially significant as it showed Piquet Jnr accelerating into the crash, rather than braking as a driver would ordinarily do.

It is understood the FIA also offered Symonds immunity; however, it is now clear he declined, opting instead to follow Briatore out of the exit door.

Briatore's departure brings to an end the career of one of the sport's most colourful characters.
The flamboyant 58-year-old Italian started out at Benetton in 1988, overseeing Michael Schumacher's world title triumphs in 1994 and 1995, again in the role of managing director.

In 2005 and 2006, as team principal at Renault, he helped the French manufacturer and Alonso become world champions.

He is also part-owner of Queens Park Rangers and although the club refused to make any comment today, his future with the West London club must now also be uncertain.

Former Team owner Eddie Jordan said: "While he's a good guy socially and well respected, now people will look on it in a different way. Will the FA allow him to continue to run a club? The ramifications in this for Flavio are very extreme, very difficult, and he will be devastated by what he's had to do."