Archive for the ‘2009 Season’ Category
November 12th, 2009 | 
Author: Pat Symonds is joining Flavio Briatore’s appeal against his motorsport ban, according to a British newspaper.
Symonds, Renault’s former executive director of engineering, was banned by the FIA for five years, while team boss Briatore received a life ban for refusing to acknowledge his role in the Singapore 2008 crash-gate scandal.
It emerged last month that Briatore, who maintains his innocence, is challenging the ruling and seeking €1m in damages in Paris’ Tribunal de Grande Instance high court, with a hearing set for November 24.
The Guardian, citing legal documents, said Symonds will be party to Briatore’s appeal, arguing that the FIA conducted its disciplinary hearings “in an improper fashion”.
“The decisions to carry out an investigation and to submit it to the World Council were taken by the same person, Max Mosley, the FIA president,” Briatore’s appeal statement said.
It added that former president Mosley “assumed the roles of complainant, investigator, prosecutor and judge”, and made a connection between the outcome and Briatore’s role in the proposed Formula One Teams’ Association breakaway.
Bernie Ecclestone’s eligibility to vote at the World Motor Sport Council hearing is also questioned by Briatore, due to the F1 chief executive’s political desire to “be hostile to” the Italian as well as see Renault escape major sanctions.
Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International
Briatore and Symonds
— Formula 1 VIP —
I do not think they succeed with this.
Update: Flavio Briatore’s indefinite ban from motorsport has been overturned by the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris.
But the FIA is considering its appeal options.
The crash gate drama continues.
Posted in 
Tokyo – TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces it plans to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1) at the end of the 2009 season.
TMC, which had viewed its participation in F1 as contributing to the prosperity of automotive culture, remained dedicated to competing at the pinnacle of motor sports, even in the face of the abrupt economic changes that started last year. However, when considering TMC’s motor-sports activities next year and beyond from a comprehensive midterm viewpoint reflecting the current severe economic realities,TMC decided to withdraw from F1.
TMC leaves F1 having compiled 13 podium and 87 point finishes over eight challenging seasons since 2002 with Panasonic Toyota Racing, a full-constructor team. It views its time in F1 – in which teams put forth their best efforts to fiercely compete at racings’ highest level – as an irreplaceable experience that provided an opportunity to develop both human resources and its R&D operations. TMC expresses its deepest appreciation to its F1 fans and others for their warm support.
TMC also wants to express its heartfelt gratitude to all Panasonic Toyota Racing drivers to date and to all Toyota Motorsport GmbH employees who have helped make the team’s achievements possible. TMC intends to do its best to find a solution for those parties who will be affected by any inconvenience this decision may cause.
Drawing on its experience in F1 and other motor sports, TMC intends to move forward in developing exciting production vehicles, such as the Lexus ‘LFA’ supercar and compact rear-wheel-drive sports cars. In motor sports, it will not only race in various categories, but will also actively contribute to further development of motor sports by supporting grassroots races and planning events in which it is easy for people to participate.
Tadashi Yamashina (Toyota F1 principal) cries, while Toyota Motor Corporation President, Akio Toyoda, anounces the news.
Fernando Alonso will this week be confirmed as a Ferrari driver for 2010 and beyond, according to reports.
Auto Motor und Sport claims the deal will be announced by the Italian team on Thursday at the Suzuka circuit in Japan.
Read the rest of this entry »
I want to share with you this picture i made, featuring the crash gate trio: Briatore, Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr.
Hope you like it!
Well Done Nelsinho!, If you keep following absurd orders, you can have a great career.
Tags: Crashgate consequences at Renault leave them without 2 sponsors.
Renault’s title sponsor ING late on Thursday said it has terminated its contract with the French team “with immediate effect.”
Mere hours after Spanish insurance backer Mutua Madrilena pulled its logos from the R29 for the same reason, the Dutch bank ING said it has also decided to end its association with Renault because of the Crashgate scandal.
It has been confirme
d this afternoon that Giancarlo Fisichella has been released from his contract with Force India to join Ferrari for the remainder of the season, starting next weekend with the Italian Grand Prix.
“I am very grateful to Vijay Mallya for allowing me this opportunity to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari” said Fisichella. “It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay [Mallya] to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous. I hope in my turn I have helped Force India grow up and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions. They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best.”
With Felipe Massa, currently recovering from injuries sustained in Hungary, out of action for the remainder of the season and test veteran Badoer failing to shine at both Valencia and Spa Francorchamps, the Italian team were left with little alternative other than to look elsewhere for the remainder of the season.
“Giancarlo and his management team approached me yesterday with the proposal from Ferrari,” stated Force India team principal Vijay Mallya. “For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this.
“Furthermore the agreement will secure Giancarlo’s long-term future with Ferrari and it would be incorrect to jeopardise this, particularly when Giancarlo has made such a vital contribution to Force India.
”
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was keen to praise the outgoing Badoer as well as welcoming Fisichella to the Italian team.
“We have chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season,” said Domenicali. “Giancarlo has shown, throughout his long career that he is fast and competitive and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race.”
For Badoer, his final two Grand Prix were something of a “thank you” from Ferrari for his long standing service to the team as test driver. “We wish to thank Luca Badoer for the team spirit he demonstrated in these circumstances,” said Domenicali. “It is a shame he was unable to show his true worth in these last two races, tackled under conditions which anyone would have found difficult.”
Ferrari is third in the constructors” championship and heading to its home race at Monza and will be looking to extend their 12 points cushion over the recovering McLaren Mercedes team.
Force India is expected to promote test driver Tonio Liuzzi to the race team in place of Fisichella with an announcement “in the coming days”.
Earl ALEXANDER
CAPSIS International
— FORMULA 1 VIP.COM Comment —
Great News!, Giancarlo is a great pilot, and he is reaching at last for a long and very desired dream and opportunity. We here at Formula 1 VIP, wish that he can prove to all the team owners, that he is still very competitive and ambitious. However, in the other hand… he will be just a test driver next year. Let’s wait and enjoy these last 5 races and wish for Fisico to win in Monza.