The WMSC on Renault 21/09/2009 Predictably enough, the WMSC has been lenient in the Renault race-fixing case, handing out a suspended ban on the team and doing what they could against the identified culprits, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds. Clearly, the first part is to ensure that Renault do not withdraw from F1 and is understandable, at least. In the case of Briatore and Symonds, the court could do no more than prevent them being present or involved in any FIA-sanctioned events in the future as its power does not extend beyond motor sport.The Renault F1 teamMany are saying that the sentence is far too light and that it illustrates, yet again, how the governing body favors one team over another; McLaren's $100 million fine is cited as an example of draconian punishment for a crime that was far less than Renault's misdeeds. That the court has been lenient cannot be disputed but I find it difficult to criticize it, given the circumstances. The sport is not dependent upon Renault's continued participation yet the withdrawal of its engines would create difficulties for other teams in the short run and take F1 one more step along the path to standardization.So the decision may be viewed as unfair but it was necessary. That the FIA should consider the future of the sport at all is unusual enough to be remarked upon; we should breathe a sigh of relief that it has not tried to establish some sort of parity with the McLaren penalty. In itself, this is a tacit admission that the McLaren punishment was excessive and imposed merely because the company could stand it.Note that the McLaren fine is always the comparison when we feel the FIA has been unduly lenient towards other teams. It stands out as a massively inappropriate penalty for an offense that was never proven and relied purely upon one man's assumptions. This is what makes the Renault judgement seem so soft - had the original WMSC decision on McLaren been allowed to stand, we would have had no cause for complaint now. It is not so much that the FIA has been easy on Renault but rather that it was ridiculously hard on McLaren.One other case is sometimes cited as an example - the ban on Toyota when their rally team was caught cheating. Against this, we can set the lack of any real punishment of Benetton when it was found that they had removed the filters from their fuel rigs. That there is wild fluctuation between penalties handed out by the WMSC cannot be disputed and we are entitled to suspect that personal preferences may be involved. Can it be coincidence that Briatore, a friend of Mosley's, was the Benetton team manager at the time they were caught cheating and that there was known to be no love lost between Mosley and Ron Dennis?We should take heart from the fact that Mosley's reign as FIA President is drawing to a close, therefore. For far too long he has run the sport in a way that gave no confidence in the decisions of the FIA, damaging the image of F1 in the eyes of the public and leaving the teams unsure of the rules and the penalties for breaking them.Some expect that Jean Todt will win the election and we might end up with even worse government of the FIA; but that is a little hard on Todt and there is still a good chance that Ari Vatanen will beat him. And, if Ari wins, you can bet that things will improve quickly.It is enough for the present that Renault's continued presence in F1 has been guaranteed by the WMSC verdict and the signing of the Concorde Agreement. Yes, it may seem a bit unfair that the company has escaped serious penalty but the sport is the better for it, at least until the new teams have settled in and we can see who makes the grade and who doesn't.A new future dawns and it is time to start putting the Mosley era behind us. Hanging on to the injustices of the past will only sour our experience of F1 as it works towards a better day.
Clive
Lee Remember how renault also were found more guilty than Maclaren in the whole spygate saga yet got away with it?This stinks and no fine or punishment should be made with keeping the team in F1 in mind. If it is to be this way then perhaps Maclaren should be given their money back..... Date Added: 21/09/2009
explosiva FIA needs to give some money back to McLaren and come straightforward and say "we don't know jack about fairness and justice". But we all know that's never going to happen. Date Added: 21/09/2009
Hezla Clive, I totally agree with you. FIA did the right thing here.I can only add, Renault acted correctly when they realised whats happened, this is the difference between this case and McLaren's. Date Added: 21/09/2009
Nick Goodspeed Justice hasn't been served here. People have put other peoples lives in jeopardy and they have not been fined because of fear of what would happen to the influx of cash into F1. To say or accept it is right because the team responsible holds a card that some are afraid they might, or will play is appalling. Renault were threatened with worse for losing a wheel a few races ago. To argue that Renault were not personally involved is moot as Ron Dennis was never proved personally involved in anything. The fact is that the record books will say Renault won the race...and in effect they got away with it. Leniency when something as dangerous and damaging to F1 as this has happened is atrocious and asking for more of the same. If the same procedure that kept Mosley in is still in play then Todt has already won the election. The groundwork Mosley put into place to prop up his dictatorship has not been dismantled and I believe this is, or partly is what Jackie Stewart is referring to when he speaks of something being terribly rotten at the centre of F1. Date Added: 21/09/2009
donwatters While I suppose you're right in your rationale for the limited punishment, it still breaks my heart that Ron Dennis and McLaren have to live the outrageous and unfair mega-fine they were assessed for something that was never really proven. Oh well, obla de, obla dah, life goes on. Date Added: 21/09/2009
Arnet I have to say that the only team that I would trust to be clean at this point is BMW. Theisen and Sauber just feel like they have integrity. Date Added: 22/09/2009
Robin I agree that the penalty is extremely light but is it worth losing the renault team over this though? Date Added: 22/09/2009
Nick Goodspeed Robin: I think the question is more, is it worth keeping Renault to the detriment of F1. If, at the end of the day, F1 is less because of a lenient judgment over an extremely severe breach of safety and rules, there is no sense in said judgment. All the teams stock in trade goes down as they are part of a much lesser organization than they were before the incident and judgment. At the rate things are going, scandal wise, F1 is quickly approaching professional wrestling. The races have become incidental to the carnival going on about them, yet the carnivals foul (and getting fouler) odour is pushing racing fans away. At one point in professional hockey Wayne Gretzky was a young phenomena and would sometimes say things he shouldn't to the media. His hero, Gordie Howe took him aside and had a bit of advice that many in F1 would do well to heed. He told Gretky, 'no one is bigger than the game!' Date Added: 22/09/2009
michael Clive I lost my reading specs can you lay out the definition of justice for all of us please. Dame Justice honestly has a blind eye or two? :-)I am now far more disgusted about the way Max slashed HIS justice across Pat's and Flav's backside (understandably they did a HUGE nono and both deserve a two year ban) than what Flav and Pat have actually done. Justice had a sell-by date 12pm Sep.21 the bidder with the absolute lowest bid gets the beef. And the winner was the Bernie & Max show. Alonso is off the hook - AGAIN - where there's smoke there's fire - No?Renault is off the hook - AGAIN - How lucky can you get? By the way weren't they on probation anyway? I mean come on three strike and you've got to be out!It's not even a joke anymore because its dead serious this behavior is ripping apart good sense, good taste, common sense and common and worthwhile values. But, politics aside hmm did I actually say that - this was the main course a politicians delight - politics in its finest and most damaging, disgusting guise.Oh, was Flav responsible for uncovering the S&M in Max?cauze then it will all make sense to me. Date Added: 22/09/2009
Nick Goodspeed The Gaurdian:http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/sep/22/formula-one-fia-presidency-max-mosley Date Added: 22/09/2009
michael Clive I am beginning to think Renault is lining itself up for a very french-like departure with that I mean elegant. I think Renault will be soled to Dave Richard's Prodrive so everyone gets their payback. :-) Date Added: 23/09/2009
Clive I sympathize with all those who feel that Renault should have received a much stiffer penalty. Max's claim that the WMSC did as much as they were entitled to is, of course, ridiculous - a suspended sentence is not the same as one that has immediate effect. And Hezla's question about justice is relevant too, although I feel that the company's responsibility for the crime is limited by reason of their ignorance of the plot. Yes, we can point at legal decisions stating that the management of a company is responsible for the actions of its employees, but natural justice decrees that this has to be limited since it is impossible for any manager to know everything that goes on amongst his staff. If we are to argue that Ron Dennis was not responsible for the actions of a few rogue McLaren employees, the same must be true of Carlos Ghosn.The verdict may not be satisfactory in terms of even-handedness between teams, but it is expedient, at least. For the moment, it is better that Renault remain in F1, particularly from the point of view of those teams hoping to have their engines next season. That may be a cynical view but it is pragmatic. Idealism is cool but realism butters yer bread! Date Added: 23/09/2009
David Chu I agreed.The deference of penalty between teams can be seen as price discrimination. WMSC has used this technique to grab the maximum interests. McLaren could afford more, so I charged them more. Date Added: 23/09/2009
Gusto Dammed if they did and dammed if they didn`t. It`s a lose, lose situation whatever way you look at it. The FiA in there inconsistency have been consistant in that it doesn`t really make sense, but whats new there!. Lets just hope that Ari doesn`t inflict the wrath of Max.......Oh Clive have you heard that Flavio is about to kicked out of the FA for being banned by another World Sports Body. Date Added: 23/09/2009
Gusto Echo echo Oops. Date Added: 23/09/2009
Lobo I don't know if you remember 1994 and all the tricks that Flavio had up his sleeve to win the driver championship. They even were accused of cheating the sport after the incident of Hockenheim where Jos Verstappen and some mechanics were almost burned alive. Well, Benetton accepted the blame and there was no punishment at all and they went on to win the championship, with the hidden traction control and low floor. If you ask me, I think justice has finally been served ... Date Added: 24/09/2009
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