Renault has been handed over a suspended ban for two years from the Formula One racing. The ban was handed over by motorsport ruling body FIA after Renault ordered its driver Nelson Piquet Jr to crash during Singapore Grand Prix in 2008.

 

Renault team had confessed in front of World Motor Sport Council that the crash was a deliberate one so that their team-mate Fernando Alonso can utilize the opportunity.

 

The council said that it was disqualified till end of 2011 season. The council also considered the exit of Flavio Briatore as well as Patrick Symonds, who is the chief engineer.

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"The World Motor Sport Council considers Renault F1's breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity," a statement said.

 

"Renault F1's breaches not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr himself”.

 

"The World Motor Sport Council considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, having regard to the points in mitigation mentioned above and in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1's disqualification until the end of the 2011 season."

 

FIA also effectively severed Briatore's links with motorsport by refusing to sanction any events or issue a licence to any driver associated with the Italian for an unlimited period.

 

The Renault team in a first reaction said: "Today, we fully accept the decision of the Council. We apologize unreservedly to the F1 community in relation to this unacceptable behaviour. We sincerely hope that we can soon put this matter behind us and focus constructively on the future. We will issue further information in the next few days."

 

Both Piquet and Alonso appeared at the hearing of the council, the highest-ranking body within motor sports' governing body.

 

The Renault team admitted at the hearing that it had conspired with Piquet to cause the crash in breach of the international sporting code and F1 sporting regulations, FIA said.

 

Renault in its mitigation said that it had accepted the offence, cooperated fully in the investigation and ensured that Briatore and Symonds had left the team.

 

In addition it had apologized unreservedly to FIA and to the sport and was committed to paying the costs incurred by FIA in its investigation. Parent company Renault will also make a significant contribution to FIA safety-related projects.

 

The FIA ruling has come ahead of this season's Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday.