Renault F1 Saga...

[euan]

I'm in two minds about this outcome.

Mad Max has got rid of Flabio which was always his aim, and screwed him royally for driver management and for his football interests. Max will be pleased with this.

As for the punishment, while no figures have been mentioned I'll bet Renault paid a decent sum to the FIA Safety Measures, multiple millions anyway.

The difference between this and McLaren is that Renault said they were guilty and took action before going to the WMSC. McLaren stood by their man and the cost of that was the £50M fine and disqualification. It could be argued that Ron didn't know anything about the data but that's old ground.

Renault are big motorsport company and have invested millions in it via GP2, F3, F1. The FIA wouldn't have wanted to lose that, while trying to appear fair. Is it fair? Depends on the financial contribution.

You also wonder that without the safety car Massa woulnd't have given us the comedy moment in the pits with his fuel rig, and would have taken 2nd place in the race and probably won the championship...

[Smitty]

Like Euan - i'm also in 2 minds...

Flavio and Pat have been chucked and deservedly so. But to only give the Renault team a 2 year “suspended� sentence is to say that it was only the 2 big wigs in on the conspiracy – which I don’t believe for 1 minute! I know why they haven’t done it – the FIA and Max don’t want to loose another big manufacturer. The reality is that Renault will probably pull out anyway as there name will have been seriously tarnished as a result!

To think that Mclaren for shafted with a £50million fine and thrown out of the constructors championship for “spygate� and Renault have pretty much been let off the hook for blatantly cheating to influence the race result and forcing a driver to put himself at risk….it’s a joke really!

I'm also pretty confused as to why Alonso hasn't been stripped of his race win. Fair enough - he may not have known about the decision (which I'm dubious of), but he was driving a Renault

[Big Gordy]

It all smells a bit 'iffy' to meNo consistency in the punishments

[euan]

Thing is Renault have been here before - they had McLaren data and didn't get punished as they co-operated. As has Alonso - he got off with his role in shopping Ron Denis for the spygate data even though he knew about it and

[The Dogfather]

I love F1, not for just for the racing but for the duplicity in its rules. Might be a shame when Max goes as it might become fair and open.

[Big Gordy]

Might be a shame when Max goes as it might become fair and open.

If Ari Vatinen gets in then yes but if Todd gets in then it will be just more of the same

[C.Noble]

... But to only give the Renault team a 2 year “suspended� sentence is to say that it was only the 2 big wigs in on the conspiracy – which I don’t believe for 1 minute! ....

I think it most likely that only Pat, Flav and Piquet Jnr and maybe Snr were in on this, too risky to let anyone else in on it, remember there is a multi-million dollar reward for any whistle blowers in F1 offered by the FIA (not that Piquet Jnr will qualify as he was complicet in the crime) so you wouldnt risk that info on a lowly engineer and I would be VERY surprised if the big guns at Renault themselves would even understand the first thing that goes on in the strategy of a grand prix, let alone attend any of the meetings.

... I'm also pretty confused as to why Alonso hasn't been stripped of his race win. Fair enough - he may not have known about the decision (which I'm dubious of), but he was driving a Renault

If they strip him of his race win, it would open a horrible can of worms where lawsuits fly in all directions over who actually won the 2008 drivers championship... I dont think anyone, including Massa would want that.

I dont like Alonso, not that keen on Pat Symonds either for that matter, but I think they have been caught up in this one, I can see Pat being pushed into this one by Flav, who is an interesting man, and I think F1 will miss him, but I wouldnt trust him as far as I could comfortably fit Italy up his left nostril. But I suppose Max can retire now a happy man.

I believe there are no winners and only losers in this one, once again doubt has been cast over someones championship crown, as much as I am no L.Hamilton fan, must be horrible to think that people will now always question whether or not he deserved it.

I have to say I am disgusted at Piquet Jnr and Snr over this too though, no matter how you argue it, they are at best cheats, and at worst, blackmailing cheats, at least Jnr was young enough to claim inexperience as a defence, but Snr has dropped a sport that made him the man he is today, right into the brown stuff!

Sorry Mr Gordy, I got on ma soap box again ... you may shout at me now

[euan]

Agree that Piquets (both) don't come out of this well. Jnr should have stood up to the team, even if it cost him his seat, at least he could sleep at night.

Snr seems to be so consumed with reliving his career through his son that he's actually to close to it. He did well to get into F1, and I dont think he's a bad driver, but one who was treated badly by his team (outside of this issue). But who'd take a punt on him now in F1?

James Allen has written a very interesting piece on his blog about this:LINK

[Big Gordy]

Sorry Mr Gordy, I got on ma soap box again ... you may shout at me now

I think you've missed your vocation Craig You should have your own column

[zimbo]

It all smells a bit 'iffy' to me

Im with you on this Gordy, there is just something not quite right about this whole thing...