Renault charged by FIA

Hmmm...lol

Former champions Renault have been summoned to appear before Formula One's governing body on a charge of having McLaren technical information in their possession.

* McLaren play down "raid" reports

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said that representatives of the French team had been summoned to a hearing of the World Motor Sport Council, Formula One's top body, in Monaco on December 6.

The charges spanned a period from September 2006 to October 2007 -- the final four races of last year when Renault won the drivers' and constructors' titles as well as this year's entire championship.

The FIA said in a statement that the information allegedly included the layout and critical dimensions of the McLaren car as well as details of the fuelling system, gear assembly, oil cooling system and hydraulic control system.

It also mentioned a "novel suspension component used by the 2006 and 2007 McLaren F1 cars".

The announcement threatened to heap more negative publicity on a sport still feeling the effects of a major spying controversy involving Ferrari and McLaren that overshadowed much of the year.

McLaren were stripped of all their constructors' points and fined $100 million, minus prize money for the season that would have accrued, after being found to have a dossier of Ferrari technical information in their possession.

The charge faced by Renault, who were constructors' champions last year and in 2005 but failed to win a race this season, concerned the same article 151c of the international sporting code.

Renault said they had nothing to hide.

"Ever since this matter was brought to our attention, we have acted with complete transparency towards McLaren and the FIA, and we will continue to do so," the team said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from McLaren.

Allegations about McLaren information falling into Renault's hands emerged shortly before a September hearing in Paris to consider new evidence in the Ferrari spy saga.

FIA president Max Mosley told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix that same month that the governing body was waiting for a formal complaint from McLaren.

"We have had a dossier from Renault which doesn't look particularly damning, but then again you wouldn't expect it to," he said at the time.

"We are waiting to see what comes from McLaren.

"It's allegedly an employee who took some floppy discs with him, but we must wait and see what comes out," added Mosley, who said McLaren had sent experts into Renault to look at their computer system with the French team's agreement.

Another source told Reuters that McLaren had been tipped off by another employee leaving the French team for the Mercedes-powered outfit.

However, Renault team boss Flavio Briatore was adamant in Spa that the case could not be compared to the McLaren one: "If somebody tells me it's the same, I sue," he had said.

The summons comes at a particularly sensitive time for Renault, who are hoping to convince their former double world champion Fernando Alonso to return to them for next season after he split with McLaren last week.

Alonso was a key figure in the McLaren spying controversy, providing incriminating e-mails to the governing body that allowed them to reopen the investigation after initially clearing the team.

 

Here we go again. What's next, RBR stealing Spyker secrets.

 

Super Best Friends stole McLaren data, that's how Alonso got passed by Sato in Canada.

 

Haha!

That was one of the best moments of this season, by far.

 

RBR already has its own scandal with lending its chassis to STR. I believe the final decisions haven't been made. Not that I expect anything to come out of it anyway.

 

...along with Super Aguri and Honda.

 

For the beginning part of the season, right? I believe they eventually came up with their own design. Or are you referring to them using the Arrows chassis last year?

 

I was referring to SA using the Honda chassis. I wasn't aware that they had came up with their own design.

Speaking of that, does anyone know the latest about ProDrive? Where are they getting chassis from? Are they even going to race next year. If so, that makes the drivers market even crazier.

 

I haven't been following SA much, so I don't really know. I thought they had built their own, but maybe it is just the Honda from last year. They did start their first season with a modified Arrows chassis and that by itself was against the rules.

 

Even if Renault did get McLaren technical info, it certainly didn't help them.

 

They began 2007 with last years car and then developed it. I believe the only thing left of the former Honda is the tub itself and not much else. For 2008 they'll have a car they designed on their own.

 

thats totally irrelevant

 

In F1 terms that is the car. The tub is the chassis, which defines the car. It's the only thing that gets crash tested and a FIA serial number. Everything else is peripherals.

 

If Renault will have to start with negative points next year, I seriously doubt Fernando will go for that.

 

This is why he hasn't decided on what team he will be joining.

 

Andreas,

It's started and next year and from then on, F1 will be corrupted by this, I promise. Every time a car wins that another team has an "issue" with they will fight it in the courts. Soon manufacturers will pull out because of the bad press in relation to an accusation (that ofcourse will be untrue, but heck if we can win the WDC by accusing every other team ... why not?), and also because it really is now just a waste of investers money.

The FIA have fncked it, plain and simple.

On the bright side we no longer have to worry about getting rid of Bernie and Max, because there will be no F1 left (or worth having anything to do with) around them. Time to start focusing on a break away series, headed I bet by Ron Dennis. The only other alternative is a spec series of identical cars. There is NO turning back from this very poor decision by the FIA.
Pete

 

The FIA seriously needs to take a look at itself, period.

 

"The charges spanned a period from September 2006 to October 2007 -- the final four races of last year when Renault won the drivers' and constructors' titles as well as this year's entire championship"

Look at the bright side, Schummy may yet be awarded his 8th WDC after FA gets his 2006 WDC stripped, and for you McLaren fans, LH could win the 2007 WDC from Kimi after the fuel saga.

What happened to the teams being afraid to appeal because if they lost, the FIA penalty was far WORSE. This is getting worse than Hollywood! It's not about the racing (acting) anymore, but the drama surrounding the races (performance).

Let them race!!!

 

now that everyone getting into the act, i have super aguri's wind tunnel data on ebay. Private auction of course.

 

The Pro Drive deal is in the can. Couldn't fund it and the borrowed McClaren is a no no. There was a press release weeks ago that mentioned they will continue on with their current ventures but the F1 deal is dead for now.

Spang

 

Two threads already on this topic. Gotta start reading down the line before posting.

 

I bet we wont hear from Alonso tell after the Renault issue is resolved, like you said.
O yeah, I did read down the line, read the headings this one says "charged". lol.

 

Hardly. Teams find extra time not by developing the tub but by developing the bodywork attached to it. Pick-up points change for suspension on it. Yes the tub is a key structural component but the vast majority run the tub they start the season with. Everything else changes. It is one of three structural components to the chassis. They are tub, engine, and transmission. The engine is often outsourced, cars often run with customer engines, Renault, Ferrari and Toyota lumps this season. Transmissions are often outsourced as well XTract comes to mind. So, if the FIA has no problem with teams finding outside suppliers for those then why should they really balk at the tub? The thousands and thousands of windtunnel time spent during the season isn't to modify the tub. It's to modify the wings, engine cover, winglets, barge-boards undertray (diffuser), brake ventilators and anything else that works in concert with the wind. Yes the tub is very important but it hardly "defies" the car.

 

You are right, that the development work is on the peripherals (it couldn't be on the tub as that would require a recertification with crash tests etc). But fact is, that the tub is the car in the eyes of the regulation. It doesn't matter how many parts you attach to it, if the tub comes from somebody else, you broke the rules.

 

Would it not be interesting to find Renault was at the very heart of all of this great mess. Why would a driver that won two WC, leave and go to Mclaren at the top of his game in a winning car? What if Renault sent Alonso to McLaren, and through deception, perhaps other moles here and there, got McLaren to use Ferrari stolen data, and then passed EVERYTHING to Renault. What if Stepney was paid through Renault operatives posing as McLaren people? Now Renault may have not only had and used McLaren secret data, but its tainted with Ferrari's data as well, and McLaren is left holding the bag.

Whatever it is its totally messed up and is ruining a sport thats already on the ropes. Everyone can speculate all they want, no one here or anywhere really knows, and its become far to political. I have been really PO'ed at Mercedes, perhaps unjustly. But I have disliked Renault for a long time and I have never trusted them. In any thing its always suggested to follow the money. Briatore has said so many counterdictions, I dont know what comes out of his mouth that is believable. Alonso having another ride at Renault smells like so much rotting fish left on the dock. Whatever comes I hope they get to the bottom of it, and soon. Or next they will be dumping oil slicks and having wheel cutting hubs for real dastardly racing. Enough already.