Briatore out at Renault, team not disputing charge

Renault split with team principal Flavio Briatore on Wednesday and said it would not contest a charge that Nelson Piquet Jr. was ordered to crash during a F1 race

Renault ask police to charge Piquet

Attitudes hardened further yesterday in the acrimonious fall out surrounding allegations that Renault's Formula One team fixed the result of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Renault react to race-fixing claims

• F1 team accuse former driver of blackmail• 'Matter will also be referred to police in the UK'Renault have announced they have begun legal proceedings against Nelson Piquet Jr and his father, Nelson Piquet, over "the making of false allegations and a related attempt to blackmail the team into allowing Piquet Jr to drive for the remainder of the 2009 season".The action followed claims from Nelson Piquet Jr that he was ordered by Renault to crash at last year's Singapore grand prix in order to improve his team-mate Fernando Alonso's chances of victory.The FIA is investigating the claims and Renault will go before the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September, when it could be thrown out of the sport if found guilty."The ING Renault F1 team is to attend that meeting and answer allegations that members of the team conspired with Nelson Piquet Jr to cause a deliberate accident at the 2008 Singapore GP, so that Fernando Alonso might benefit from the resulting safety car," read a Renault statement. "The ING Renault F1 team had not commented publicly during the FIA's initial investigation into this matter. However, today 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 concerning the making of 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 matter will also be referred to the police in the UK."Piquet Jr's contract for 2009 had still not been renewed by the time of the Singapore GP and Briatore fired the Brazilian driver last month after one and a half seasons with the French team.The crash at Formula One's inaugural night race brought out the safety car shortly after Alonso had pitted. The twice world champion was then able to position himself for victory.Alonso denies having any knowledge of the alleged plans.RenaultFormula OneMotor sportguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Renault launch criminal proceedings against Piquets

Renault have launched criminal proceedings against Nelson Piquet junior and Nelson Piquet senior for making false allegations and blackmail in relation to claims that the team conspired to fix the outcome of the 2008 Singapore GP.

FIA probes Renault beyond 'crash-gate' claims

The FIA's investigation into Renault runs even deeper than the sensational claims that Nelson Piquet was told to crash on purpose during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix...  

Renault set timetable for F1 future

French carmaker Renault will decide by the end of the year whether to stay in Formula One after a race-fixing scandal that has badly damaged the team's reputation.