Formula One news

Briatore insists upon Renault innocence

Flavio Briatore has come out fighting in the face of allegations that his Renault team may have breached the rules as one of its employees had allegedly showed some technical drawings of McLaren systems to colleagues. 

"When we found out in September, we talked with the guy [the employee in question], we started an investigation and immediately suspended the guy and then immediately we informed McLaren and the FIA," Briatore told The Times. "We gave to Mr Mosley all the correspondence and the evidence and a statement from our engineers making clear we never used any McLaren system in our car."

"The information was in the computer, it was in the disks that this guy brought," Briatore added. "It was very simple. It was a drawing of a few systems, it was part of a drawing of the gearbox and was part of a drawing of a mass-damper. I am confident the information was not used and not only me. We have witness statements from every engineer that was involved and, categorically, everybody says that there was no influence of any of these things on the design of our car."

"We were happy to let them inspect our computer, we wanted to give McLaren the opportunity to check that there was no influence on the design of our car, but they never took up the offer," Briatore concluded.

The FIA will hear the case against Renault next month in Monaco.

more news

• 28 Nov.
  • Lola ready to enter Formula 1
  • Raikkonen close to Citroen WRC deal
  • Tung looking for 'useful' test
• 27 Nov.
  • Montreal seals Formula One contract
  • GPUpdate TV: Domenicali - high hopes for 2010
  • Jerez test: The cast
  • Wurz plays down USF1 link
  • Renault to test Baguette, Tung and Di Grassi
  • Alonso makes second visit to Ferrari
  • Force India confirms Sutil and Liuzzi
  • All new teams now FOTA members
  • Sauber buys team back from BMW
  • De la Rosa pushing for race drive
  • Ecclestone: I won't buy Donington
  • Haug becomes part of F1 in Schools
  • Volkswagen to provide F1 engines?
• 26 Nov.
  • Alguersuari: 2010 contract is signed
  • Conway and Ericsson to test for Mercedes
  • 4 driver options left for Lotus
  • 'F1 in need of Schumacher return' - Verstappen
• 25 Nov.
  • 'Fantastic opportunity' - Di Resta on Force India test
  • Recap: N.Technology court bid fails
  • BMW testers excited about Jerez
  • Brawn disappointed with Button drives, ponders Lauda
  • Piquet to drive in Massa kart race
  • Brawn aero chief wins award
  • Gillett disappointed with government position
  • Mercedes hopes to confirm line-up by Christmas
• 24 Nov.
  • Briatore verdict expected in January
  • Donington still hopeful over F1 race
  • Montreal race confirmation imminent
  • Massa names drivers for karting event
  • Campos car passes FIA safety tests
  • Strong test could seal drive, says Mallya
  • Force India to test di Resta and Hildebrand
  • Courts to hear Briatore case
  • Silverstone GP deal forthcoming
• 23 Nov.
  • GPUpdate TV: Sam Michael - building on 2009
  • Theissen waiting on entry decision
  • Mercedes delighted with Rosberg confirmation

Homepage