Formula One news

'Formula One won't miss Flavio'

Martin Brundle is the latest to add his name to the list of opinions on the aftermath of Formula One's most recent saga. Dubbed 'Crashgate', Brundle described the weekend which set the saga in motion as when 'Desperate men do desperate things'.

The former Benetton driver contemplated the reaction of the team (now Renault). 'Renault will be relieved at the suspended ban but will have to deal with the embarrassment and the damage to their reputation," the Briton told the BBC before going on to muse over the leniency of the penalty handed out by the FIA.

'I can't believe he did it' - Brundle on Piquet

"In comparison to McLaren in 2007, this is quite a light punishment. Renault, however, are a very big part of motorsport, not just in F1 but the feeder series too. The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) had a difficult decision and it seems that (Flavio) Briatore (former Team Principal) and (Pat) Symonds (former Executive Director of Engineering) have taken the brunt of the decision."

Two of the three key individuals involved in 'Crashgate' - driver Nelson Piquet Jr. and Briatore - are now former team members and Brundle has his doubts over the futures of both men. "Flavio has a very successful history in F1 but he's upset a lot of people too," Norfolk's Brundle continued. "He won't be badly missed.

"Piquet Junior is a man, not a boy - he's responsible for his own decisions; from a drivers perspective, I can't believe he did it (crashed deliberately) but he shouldn't have waited a year for the team to dump him before blowing the whistle. I can't see any sponsors wanting to be involved with Piquet now - it's sad but it's his own fault."

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• 26 Nov.
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• 25 Nov.
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• 24 Nov.
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  • Kobayashi: I expected to be re-signed

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