- The QPR Report Messageboard: Visit - and even post on - the combination quasi-blog and messageboard for additional up-to-the-minute news about QPR, mixed with QPR nostalgia and items of general football interest.
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!
- "Football for Heroes" Announced as League Official Charity Partner in 2009/10
- Post F1/Briatore "Verdict:" Analyses relating to Briatore and QPR
Renault - Motor racing-Renault given two-year suspended ban
PARIS, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The Renault team has been handed a two-year suspended ban from the Formula One world championship after admitting to race-fixing, the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on Monday.
- The French manufacturer had said it would not contest accusations the team ordered Brazilian Nelson Piquet to crash his car into a wall at last year's Singapore Grand Prix so that Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso might win. Former team boss Flavio Briatore was also banned from further involvement in Formula One, including driver management, the FIA said after a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council in Paris.
(Editing by Miles Evans; Reuters
MIRROR - Crashgate: Renault owner Flavio Briatore slapped with lifetime F! ban By Byron Young 21/09/2009
- Flavio Briatore has been given a lifetime ban from world motorsport by Crashgate judges in Paris.
- The 59-year-old was driven out of motor racing in the harshest decision against an individual in the sport’s history.
- His influence ran to two key series, close to F1 and several leading drivers including Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber.
- He will be particularly stung by the ban on driver management which earned him at least £4m a year.
- His Renault salary was thought to be £2m.
- The French car giant, Renault, must be relieved to have escaped with a two-year suspended ban despite admitting causing a deliberate crash in Singapore.
- The team’s engineering director Pat Symonds has been banned for five years.
- He was said to have planned the detail of the "accident", including which corner Nelson Piquet should crashed on to fix the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix so teammate Alonso could win.
- Bernie Ecclestone earlier had called for a “balanced” decision and he appears to have got it.
- Renault have got off lightly but that will please all within the heart of the sport because the upper management of the car company and even the rank and file who stood to lose their jobs over any kind of ban, were not involved in events in the sport’s night race.
- But they have been told to meet the costs of the investigation ad hearing, expected to run to £400,000. Mirror
This is London/Matt Majendie - Flavio Briatore could be forced out of Queens Park Rangers after he was handed an indefinite ban from motor sport today.
- The World Motor Sport Council suspended him from taking part in any FIA-sanctioned events for an unlimited period for his role in Crashgate when he plotted with former driver Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately drive into a wall at last year's Singapore GP.
- The repercussions could spell the end of the flamboyant Italian's tenure at QPR. The Football League board will meet next month to discuss his role as chairman of the club's parent company, QPR Holdings, and it remains to be seen whether the 59-year-old will pass the Fit and Proper Person test.
- Under current rules, nobody can be a director or hold a majority interest in a club if they are “subject to a ban from a sports governing body relating to the administration of their sport”.
- Briatore's stake in the Championship outfit could yet be bought by co-owner billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, the steel billionaire, who is reportedly said to be keen to buy Briatore's share.
- The FIA ruling will also end Briatore's lucrative management business of some of Formula One's leading drivers, among them Alonso, Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton's team-mate Heikki Kovalainen and, ironically, Piquet.
- Under the specifics of his ban, no drivers connected with Briatore will have the superlicence required to race in F1 renewed unless they end their association with him.
- Today's hearing, headed by FIA president Max Mosley and the World Motor Sport Council, took less than an hour to complete at the FIA's Paris headquarters as Renault opted not to contest the charges of having deliberately fixed last year's Singapore race.
- Briatore was not present at the hearing to give evidence having already resigned from his post as team principal, nor was technical director Pat Symonds, who also stepped down at the team last week and received a five-year ban by the FIA from any F1 involvement.
- Alonso, who insisted he had no knowledge of any wrongdoing in Singapore, was dramatically called before the WMSC to give evidence but was cleared of any wrongdoing himself.
- The FIA thanked the two-time world champion for “cooperating with enquiries and concludes that Mr Alonso was not in any way involved in Renault F1's breach of the regulations”.
-There had been speculation that Renault could face a fine running into tens of millions of pounds and even leading to them being excluded from the world championship altogether.
- But but the team escaped with a two-year suspended sentence, although there continued involvement in the sport from next season must now be in doubt.
- A statement by the FIA read: “The council considers Renault F1's breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity. They not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr himself.
- “The WMSC considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1's disqualification until the end of the 2011 season.
“Renault had confirmed that Mr Briatore and Mr Symonds were involved in the conspiracy and ensured that they left the team. It apologised unreservedly to the FIA and to the sport for the harm caused by its actions.”
Piquet, who also gave evidence at the hearing, had already been given immunity by the FIA after admitting to his part in the race fixing.
- Meanwhile, Renault F1 president Bernard Rey, who was also called before the FIA in the French capital, apologised for his team's action in the scandal. He said: “We are very sad to find ourselves in front of the World Motor Sport Council today. By way of background, as a result of our own enquiries, we informed the FIA last week that we would not defend the charges and we accepted our responsibilities in relation to the incident in Singapore and we immediately took appropriate action inside the team.
- “Today we fully accept the decision of the council. We apologise unreservedly to the F1 community in relation to this unacceptable behaviour.” This is London
Pitpass - Official: Renault handed suspended ban
21/09/2009
The Renault F1 team has been handed a two-year suspended ban following today's hearing in front of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council.
- Former team boss Flavio Briatore has been banned from Formula One activities including driver management.
The full statement issued by the FIA reads as follows:
At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council held in Paris on 21 September 2009, the ING Renault F1 team (“Renault F1”) admitted that the team had conspired with its driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in breach of the International Sporting Code and F1 Sporting Regulations.
Renault F1 stated at the meeting that it had conducted a detailed internal investigation, which found that: (i) Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr. had conspired to cause the crash; and (ii) no other team member was involved in the conspiracy.
The FIA has conducted its own detailed investigation and its findings correspond with those of Renault F1.
At the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, Renault F1 made the following points in mitigation:
It had accepted, at the earliest practicable opportunity, that it committed the offences with which it was charged and cooperated fully with the FIA's investigation;
It had confirmed that Mr. Briatore and Mr. Symonds were involved in the conspiracy and ensured that they left the team;
It apologised unreservedly to the FIA and to the sport for the harm caused by its actions;
It committed to paying the costs incurred by the FIA in its investigation;
Renault (the parent company, as opposed to Renault F1) committed to making a significant contribution to FIA safety-related projects.
Nelson Piquet Jr. also apologised unreservedly to the World Motor Sport Council for his part in the conspiracy.
The following decision was taken:
The World Motor Sport Council finds that Renault F1 team members Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr. conspired to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. The World Motor Sport Council therefore finds Renault F1, which, under article 123 of the International Sporting Code, is responsible for the actions of its employees, in breach of Articles 151(c) and point 2(c) of Chapter IV of Appendix L of the Code, and Articles 3.2, 30.3 and/or 39.1 of the Formula One Sporting Regulations.
The World Motor Sport Council considers Renault F1's breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity. Renault F1's breaches not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr. himself. The World Motor Sport Council considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, having regard to the points in mitigation mentioned above and in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1's disqualification until the end of the 2011 season. The World Motor Sport Council will only activate this disqualification if Renault F1 is found guilty of a comparable breach during that time.
In addition the World Motor Sport Council notes Renault F1's apology and agrees that the team should pay the costs of the investigation. It also accepts the offer of a significant contribution to the FIA's safety work.
As regards Mr. Briatore, the World Motor Sport Council declares that, for an unlimited period, the FIA does not intend to sanction any International Event, Championship, Cup, Trophy, Challenge or Series involving Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any Team or other entity engaging Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever. It also hereby instructs all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr. Briatore access to any areas under the FIA's jurisdiction. Furthermore, it does not intend to renew any Superlicence granted to any driver who is associated (through a management contract or otherwise) with Mr. Briatore, or any entity or individual associated with Mr. Briatore. In determining that such instructions should be applicable for an unlimited period, the World Motor Sport Council has had regard not only to the severity of the breach in which Mr. Briatore was complicit but also to his actions in continuing to deny his participation in the breach despite all the evidence.
As regards Mr. Symonds, the World Motor Sport Council declares that, for a period of five years, the FIA does not intend to sanction any International Event, Championship, Cup, Trophy, Challenge or Series involving Mr. Symonds in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any Team or other entity engaging Mr. Symonds in any capacity whatsoever. It hereby instructs, for a period of five years, all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr. Symonds access to any areas under the FIA's jurisdiction. In determining that such instructions should be effective for a period of five years the World Motor Sport Council has had regard: (i) to Mr. Symonds' acceptance that he took part in the conspiracy; and (ii) to his communication to the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council that it was to his “eternal regret and shame” that he participated in the conspiracy.
As regards Mr. Piquet Jr., the World Motor Sport Council confirms the immunity from individual sanctions under the International Sporting Code in relation to this incident, which the FIA had granted to him in exchange for volunteering his evidence.
As regards Fernando Alonso, the World Motor Sport Council thanks him for cooperating with the FIA's enquiries and for attending the meeting, and concludes that Mr. Alonso was not in any way involved in Renault F1's breach of the regulations.
The World Motor Sport Council would like to thank the Stewards and legal investigation team (in particular Dorothy Cory-Wright of Sidley Austin LLP who conducted the interviews at the Belgian Grand Prix).
The full reasons for this decision, in addition to a complete recording of the proceedings before the World Motor Sport Council, will be made available shortly. Pitpass
- Monday's F1 "Crashgate" Hearing Reports (Updated Throughout Day)
ELSEWHERE:
- Just announced: The Ref for the Chelsea Game is M J Jones
- Birthdays Today for Kevin Gallen (34) and Rowan Vine (27)
- Updated: Comprehensive compilation of Cardiff vs QPR Match Reports and Managerial Comments
Meanwhile Rowan Vine Speaking Out:
The Mirror/Ken Gorman - Rowan Vine pleads with QPR board to give Jim Magilton time to make his mark
- Striker Rowan Vine helped to lift Rangers in to the top half of the Championship - then fired his own plea to their directors.
- He urged their notoriously hard to please board to give new manager Jim Magilton the time to develop a team which the former Birmingham and Luton hit man believes is good enough for promotion.
- Vine has been at Loftus Road for just two years, but he has already played under FOUR different bosses and he believes that the revolving managerial door has left the players heads spinning as well.
- Vine said: “We have brought in players over the last 18 months who have strengthened the squad massively. But there has been instability at the club, with people coming and going. That never helps.
- “Jim Magilton has certainly been good for the players so far. We would like to see him given the time to continue the job.
- “We believe we are one of the top teams in the league. We are capable of beating anybody. What we need is for everyone to be pulling in the same direction.” ...Mirror
- A Championship Team of the Week Includes Simpson
- Nice Q&A With Don Masson
- What REALLY Happened when QPR Played Sunderland back in 1973 and the FA Cup Was Knocked Over.
- Nice Price Cut Move by Sheffield Wednesday
- Stuart Houston's Son in Charity Raiser
- A Profile of and Interview with Tommy Docherty (now aged 81)
- Real Madrid's Debt Hits Almost 300 Million Pounds
- Briatore Profiled/Analysed "The Rise and Fall...."
- A couple of devestating pieces re Briatore/Crashgate/Cheating
- Two goals for Helguson before going off injured
- "Chelsea: Muppets on a String"
- Flashack: Three Years agoy- John Gregory replaces Gary Waddock as QPR Manager. Alan McDonald Departs
- David James: What the Premiership Cap on Squad size does Not Solve
- Now on Sale: "Hooped Dreams: Billionaires, QPR and the Premiership Promised Land" (Paperback) By Mick Kelly
COMING UP: CHELSEA!
And Wedneday: Chelsea (Even though Chelsea Initially had it wrong!
CHELSEA OFFICIAL SITE - CARLING CUP KICK-OFF
- Chelsea welcome Queens Park Rangers to Stamford Bridge for the Carling Cup 3rd round this Tuesday and you can watch the full game only on Chelsea TV.
Prior to kick-off we build-up to the game on Matchnight Live with the team news direct from Stamford Bridge before any other channel, player previews and thoughts from Ancelotti right up to kick-off. No other channel will have dedicated Chelsea build-up than Chelsea TV.
Chelsea have not lost to QPR since 1995 and aim to complete the job on home turf, you can share your views on the game from 9.45pm when we open up the phone lines.
You can watch all the action as we replay the full 90 minutes from 10.15pm.
6pm: Live build-up from Stamford Bridge
9.45pm: Fans' phone-in - call 08445 434 969
10.15pm: Watch the full 90 minutes
Programme times subject to change if the game goes into extra time / penalties.
To subscribe to Chelsea TV on Sky 421 call 08442 410 803, existing Sky customers can subscribe via Sky active or online. Chelsea
Chelsea's Manager, Carlo Ancellotti/BBC on QPR Game
"... Chelsea next play QPR in Wednesday's Carling Cup third round tie and Ancelotti is determined not to allow his players to lose focus.
"We need to maintain the mental attitude and win our next game against QPR in the Carling Cup on Wednesday," stated Ancelotti.
"Our next game will not be easy. We do not think about records, only winning the next game." BBC
- Past QPR-Chelsea Results and Shared Players (and Managers)
- Flashback: John Gregory on the "Thriving" QPR-Chelsea Relationship!
