Now, this should prove to be interesting...all eyes will be on words coming from Paris tomorrow (hopefully!) I am NOT at all surprised that he's been summoned to appear. Carol * * * planet F1 'Surprised' Alonso, Flavio set to attend FIA hearing Fernando Alonso and Flavio Briatore are both set to attend Monday's extraordinary World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris. Alonso has throughout the investigation denied any knowledge of the Renault's alleged decision to fix the 2008 Singapore GP, saying he "cannot imagine this situation", and it was thought he would not be present at the FIA hearing. Even FIA President Max Mosley said last week that Alonso was not involved in their investigation despite claims from Nelson Piquet senior that the Spaniard should've known that something was quite right with his strategy. However, all that changed on Friday when he received a summons, just three days before the Paris meeting. The Guardian claims the decision to order Alonso to attend the hearing 'has come as a huge surprise to the double world champion who had assumed he would not be involved'. Briatore, along with Pat Symonds, parted company with Renault in the week in the wake of the scandal and, under FIA regulations they are no longer associated with a licence holder so no formal action may be taken against them under the International Sporting Code. The paper, though, adds that 'Briatore will be present at the meeting too, but Symonds will not. 'There are suggestions that Alonso could be closely questioned over Briatore's role. The 59-year-old could be banned for life from the sport, while there is also a possibility he will not be allowed to manage Formula One drivers.' The Mirror, meanwhile, adds that 'as well as being in line for a lifetime ban from the sport, Briatore could also be barred from managing F1 drivers, which earns him millions every year'. 'His stable current includes Piquet, Roman Grosjean, Heikki Kovalainen, Mark Webber and others.'
I'm wondering if the FIA is checking whether FA will help send his boss Flav further down the river. Also there is a chance he may implement himself in the scam. But I also reckon he will walk.
Also of interest at this meeting is that the WMSC intends to question Alonso over Flavio's role. Flavio also faces the prospect of not only being banned from the sport but also being ordered to end any management contracts he has with F1 drivers and he also has interests in GP2 and GP3. Carol
What a complete fool Flav is, it could really cost him dear this. He must have thought he was untouchable like Max.
Alonso can thank Piquet Sr. for this summons: Piquet stated publicly that Alonso could not have not known about the plot because his fuel strategy made no sense at all. I'm sure Alonso can counter that argument and leave enough doubt to get off scott free. Unless Flavio or Symonds take him down with them, it will Piquet's word against Alonso's and we know how that will end. The good thing about the hearing is, that the FIA will come up with a verdict/result which will clear Alonso's name and then Ferrari can finally announce that he is their new driver. I can't wait for that. FORZA FERRARI, FORZA FERNANDO!
Andreas: Nelson Sen. is 100% right. As outlined in the other Massa 08-Champ thread, there is just no possible way that he would not have known. He is way too involved in decisions and is in constant contact with engineers when on and off the track. The question, as you pointed out, is if that will be enough to hang him on this. And the answer, unless there is further evidence that we do not know about yet or he says something stupid (which is rather unlikely), he will walk and be cleared. He will then have a press conference and hire O.J.s private investigator to find Nicole's killer. Briatore should lose his management rights. He should not be associated with any for of racing in the future. Neither can I imagine that there is one of the drivers right now that says, hey I am happy to be represented by Flavio who sends his driver AND client to crash his car. As for Ferrari, I know Andreas looks through the red/yellow/red glasses, Ferrri would do well in looking at the overall picture and not if he was cleared or not. They must see that he must have known and that there may be down the road more to come. Who knows, when faced with criminal charges Pat and Flavio may start talking like a storm. Ferrari should not associate themselves with cheaters. He has proven to do that at Williams in spygate, has shown no team spirit in holding up Lewis in the pits and now having knowledge of a fixing of a race and moreso not sainga word about endangering public, fellow drivers and mostly his own team mate. Just not the guy that should be wearing red. my 2c.
Flav's ship has sailed. (and what a boat it is) Alonso would have no problem selling him out but at this point there is no need for that. F A may just be dumb enough to open his mouth and buy himself some trouble though. Good for him that Max and co. still see him as an asset for the sport. Unless Whippy is looking to put it to Luca one last time. At this point I don't have any sympathy for any of those involved.
Agreed there are bad eggs in F1 we need shut, however we need someone to rule it with respect not with fear.
agreed. should be something like a coucil of drivers/owners. best former drivers/owners. it is always bad if such decisions rest with one person. the president of th council could be elected by the council members or the current drivers/owners and only serves for one year or two then someone else needs to be elected. That will eliminate protecting your job.
I am still calling for Andrea to be president of the new FIA. Although I strongly disagree with his new set of rules: Paragraph 1.1.: Let Alonso walk clause.
Thanks. The problem with being head of the FIA is, that one also needs to know a good deal about all the other classes of motorsport and I couldn't care less about them (nor do I know anything about them). Sometimes I do think however that an outsider would be the better choice than somebody who grew up in the sport. No matter how good a job Todt will do, somebody will accuse him of favoritism for or against Ferrari because of his checkered (pun intended) past with that team. I'm pretty sure Vatanen would be the better choice, but he doesn't stand a chance. Not sure about that. Can't really say either way: They wanted to get McLaren when they gave immunity to Alonso in Spygate. This time he doesn't have immunity, but wasn't part of the group who decided to cheat. While he is in the midst of these scandals and has some involvement, where do you draw the line? I doubt he instigated either case. He merely went along with it. A common excuse in history. 100% Williams was my first love in F1 and McLaren I can't stand. To this day.
They gave Piquet immunity and he is the reponsable of the crash after all... So even if Alonso knew anything nothing will happen to him.
Actually you could use these statements against Alonso: Piquet will get off because he has immunity. Alonso, who is involved, didn't get immunity and the FIA is out to punish somebody. So they'll come down twice as hard on Alonso. That said, I agree with you and expect Alonso to walk. And Renault to get severly penalized. Not as harsh as McLaren in 07 though since the culprits have already been decapitated.
I'm pretty sure the FIA would have figured that out on their own without Piquet Sr.'s help. After all, my dog did - and she is not that interested in F1.
Your dog is smarter than me. I didn't figure that out when I watched the race and just thought that it was gratuitous timing. Akin to how Piquet Jr. got lucky in the German GP a few months earlier. Accidents can happen and for Piquet to crash out during a night race on a tigth city course is not that far fetched. Come to think of it how nobody on here talked about it IIRC, your dog is smarter than most FChatters in the F1 forum. Could you please have your dog sign up with FChat?
Suspected something was up? Surely. Knew that something so extremely inconceivable was planned? Not provable with the evidence provided so far.