Renault Ex-Boss Wins F1 Case

Last September, Flavio Briatore was banned for life from Formula One. Eric Boullier was announced as his replacement as team principal. Briatore's chief engineer Pat Symonds was handed out a 5-year ban. They were accused of a race-fixing conspiracy at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in which it was alleged that the ordered Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to purposely crash his car so that teammate Fernando Alonso could go on to win the first ever night race which was held in Singapore. The World Motor Sport Council imposed this ban after Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) ordered an inquiry into the allegations.

Both men decided to appeal against the ban. And the French High Court in Paris has quashed their suspensions. The duo also filed for damages against the FIA, seeking around $1.5 million. They managed to get $21,630 and $7,220 respectively. The court also gave the FIA 15 days in which to make the payments, failing which they will be given a daily penalty of $14,420. The FIA has not said anything as yet on whether it will go ahead with an appeal on this ruling.

The judgment also said, "The decision of the World Council was presided over by the FIA president, who was well-known to be in conflict with Briatore, with Mr Mosley having played a leading role in launching the inquiry and its investigation in violation of the principle of separation of the power of the bodies." Briatore went on to say, "Justice has been done. As a sports person and one passionately involved in car racing for more than 20 years, the decision to apply to the civil courts to contest a decision of the FIA was a difficult one for me to take. The fact the World Motor Sport Council had been utilized to deal with a personal agenda aimed at pushing me out of the world of competition left me no other choice. The decision handed down today restores to me the dignity and freedom certain people had arbitrarily attempted to deprive me of. The court recognized all the criticisms I had formulated against the decision of the World Council were founded, by finding the FIA had rendered a decision it was not competent to pronounce, infringed its own articles of association, totally failed to respect my right to a fair defense and entrusted the tasks of investigation, prosecution and judgment to a principal player known by all to be hostile to me."

Flavio Briatore declined to comment on whether he would return to Formula 1, and just said that he wanted to enjoy the moment of success as of now.