Briatore leaves Renault; team won't dispute charge

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Renault managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Simonds have left the Formula One team.

Renault have also decided not to dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, the team have announced.

A statement from the team read: "The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

"It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.

Briatore Embroiled In F1 Scandal

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Formula 1 can be close to another scandal. On Sunday, Reginaldo Leme, a commentator for TV Globo, revealed that the International Automobile Federation (FIA) has hired an independent company to investigate the accident of Nelson Piquet Grand Prix in Singapore in 2008, a fact crucial to the victory of Fernando Alonso. Flavio Briatore, Renault team boss is said to have instructed the Brazilian to crash on purpose on lap 16, three after the first pit stop of the Spaniard.

Piquet confirms Renault release and hits back

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In a strong statement confirming the cessation of his relationship with the Renault F1 Team, Neslon Piquet has hit back, describing his time with Renault as 'the worst period' of his career coming to an end and also declaring a 'sense of relief' that it has passed.

"I have received notice from the Renault F1 team of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season," began Piquet's long statement. "It is obviously with great disappointment that I receive such news. But, at the same time, I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career, and the possibility that I can now move on and put my career back on the right track and try to recover my reputation of a fast, winning driver.

"I am a team player and there are dozens of people I have worked with in my career who would vouch for my character and talent, except unfortunately the person that has had the most influence on my career in Formula 1," he added, referring to Renault Team Principal Briatore.