Renault says it will stay in Formula One

Renault is staying in Formula One racing after agreeing Wednesday to sell a “large stake” in the team to a private investment firm to keep the cars on the grid in 2010

Renault says it will stay in Formula One

Renault is staying in Formula One racing after agreeing Wednesday to sell a “large stake” in the team to a private investment firm to keep the cars on the grid in 2010

Renault admits fixing Singapore GP

• Renault will not dispute allegations of deliberate crash• Team remains committed to Formula One until 2012Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have stepped down from their posts after Renault decided not to dispute allegations that the team ordered former driver Nelson Piquet Junior to crash deliberately at last year's Singapore grand prix.The sensational move comes ahead of Renault's appearance before the governing FIA to explain their role in the crash. There has been intense speculation about the role of Briatore and Symonds in the incident, which saw Piquet's Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso benefit from the deployment of a safety car, after which he went on to win the race.The Renault team itself is committed to remain in Formula One at least until 2012, but there is nothing preventing the manufacturer and parent company from seeking a buyer for the outfit.The CEO and President of Renault Carlos Ghosn earlier told L'Equipe that the parent company would not react "in hot blood" to the allegations that were made against the Formula One team. "Above all we don't want to make a premature judgment one way or the other," he said.Yesterday a transcript of the radio conversations between team engineers and the driver was published, revealing Briatore's outburst about Piquet in the immediate aftermath of the Singapore crash. He swore repeatedly and proclaimed Piquet was "not a driver".Despite this latest twist in the affair, the extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council scheduled for Monday at the FIA's headquarters in Paris will still go ahead. The WMSC may yet choose to impose severe sanctions on the team now they have chosen not to launch a defence.The FIA charged Renault with "conspiring with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jnr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore grand prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso."Alonso went on to take the chequered flag at Formula One's first night race, his first victory for two years, and at a time when Renault were considering quitting the sport. The French manufacturer will almost certainly plead for clemency from the FIA as they will claim the actions of two men should not affect the employment of nearly 700 other staff within the team. The FIA have the power to exclude Renault from the championship.RenaultFormula OneMotor sportJeremy Campbellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Renault secure Formula One future

Renault have confirmed their intention to remain in Formula One for the foreseeable future.

Renault staying in Formula One

Renault is staying in Formula One racing after agreeing Wednesday to sell a "large stake" in the team to a private investment firm to keep the cars on the grid in 2010.

Kubica considers Renault future

• Polish driver wants to know new owner's intentions• Felipe Massa has neck pain in two-day test sessionRobert Kubica is considering his future at Renault after the manufacturer's decision to sell a significant stake in its Formula One team, the Polish driver's manager said today. Daniele Morelli told the BBC it was "not automatic" Kubica would stay although he hinted he was likely to, and sought more information about the team's plans. "We would like to know about Genii Capital and who is doing what in the team, a partner can be a sleeping partner or a controlling partner," said Morelli.Earlier, Renault said it planned to sell a significant stake to Genii, a Luxembourg-based specialist in brand management and motor sports, but would run the team jointly with its new partners. "The cards have changed in respect of when we signed and it's important Renault give us full information," said Morelli.Kubica raced for BMW-Sauber this year and signed with Renault after BMW withdrew. "We are not against the new position in principle but it is important to know who will run the team and what kind of strategies they will use," said the manager. "We need time, at least a few days, to evaluate the new situation so I am not in a position to say we will leave or stay."Kubica's contract is likely to contain an escape clause covering a change of team ownership, given that Renault's future was uncertain when he signed up. He is highly rated in the sport and is likely to be of interest to Mercedes, formerly champions Brawn, should the retired seven-times champion Michael Schumacher decide against a comeback at the age of 41.Mercedes have yet to name a replacement for the world champion, Jenson Button, who has joined McLaren, but reports have said they are close to a deal with Schumacher.There are few, if any, other vacancies that would interest the Pole. Only Sauber, Toro Rosso and the new US F1 and Campos Meta teams have yet to complete their line-ups and none would be able to match Kubica's Renault salary.Felipe Massa complained of a sore neck today after completing two days of tests in a 2007 Ferrari. The Brazilian has been out since suffering life-threatening head injuries in an accident at July's Hungarian grand prix. "I had a bit of neck pain, above all in the quick corners. But the rest went fine and there was no difference compared to before the accident," Massa said.RenaultFormula OneMotor sportguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds