Posts Tagged ‘ Renault ’

Kimi Raikkonen Returns to F1 2012 with Renault

• Posted in F1 News

Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will return to Formula 1 next season after signing a two-year deal with Renault, who will become Lotus in 2012.

The 32-year-old left F1 at the end of 2009 to pursue a career in rallying.

The Finn was strongly linked with a move to Williams just a few week ago, but Renault have pounced for his signature after it was confirmed that Robert Kubica will miss the start of next season due to the injuries he sustained during a rallying accident earlier this year.

“My hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming,” said Raikkonen. “It was an easy choice to return with Lotus Renault GP.”

The Finn, who won the title in 2007 with Ferrari, added: “I have been impressed by the scope of the team’s ambition. Now I’m looking forward to playing an important role in pushing the team to the very front of the grid.

“My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver.”

Kimi made his Formula One debut back in 2001 with Sauber. He then spent five seasons with McLaren, from 2002 to 2006, winning nine Grands Prix and twice finishing runner-up in the drivers’ championship. He moved to Ferrari for 2007.

Team owner Gerard Lopez said the high-profile signing of Raikkonen was one of several steps the squad are taking to return to the front of F1, adding that he is delighted to have captured the services of a world champion.

“All year long, we kept saying that our team was at the start of a brand new cycle. Backstage we’ve been working hard to build the foundations of a successful structure and to ensure that we would soon be able to fight at the highest level,” he said.

Raikkonen’s return to F1 means there will be six World Champions on the grid next year as the Finn will line up next to Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel.

R30 – Renault’s new F1 car

• Posted in F1 News

Renault R30

Renault R30 front

Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov unveil Renault’s new car for the 2010 Formula 1 season ahead of the first test in Valencia.

Petrov said: “I’ve always dreamed of racing in Formula One and so to make my debut with a top team like Renault is very exciting. The first race is just over a month away so I will make sure I spend as much time as possible with the team over the next few weeks so that I am fully prepared in time for Bahrain.”

Kubica added: “The team has been working on the new car for a long time and it’s clear that we are moving in the right direction, now we need to maximise the winter tests to keep up this momentum and continue improving the car.”

Petrov also added: “The new car looks stunning and the colours remind everybody of Renault’s great history in the sport. I can’t wait to drive the car for the first time and start working with the team.”

Renault gets two-year suspended F1 ban

• Posted in F1 News

Renault have been given a two-year suspended ban from Formula 1 for their role in fixing last year’s Singapore Grand Prix.

The team were called before governing body the FIA to answer charges they had asked driver Nelson Piquet Jr to crash to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win.

Former team boss Flavio Briatore has been banned from FIA sanctioned events for an unlimited period.

Ex-engineering director Pat Symonds has also been excluded for five years.

Briatore and Symonds parted company with Renault last week at the same time as the French car giant said they would not contest the charges.

The FIA agreed not to pursue action against Piquet for his role in uncovering the details of the scandal.

In addition to banning Renault, the WMSC handed out hefty individual penalties to Briatore and Symonds. Neither will be allowed any involvement in FIA-sanctioned motorsport, Briatore indefinitely and Symonds for the next five years.

Piquet, who was dropped by Renault in July, was granted immunity from sanction for volunteering his evidence in the investigation.

“We are very sad to find ourselves in front of the Word Motor Sport Council today,” said Renault team president Bernard Rey after the Paris hearing. “By way of background, as a result of our own enquiries, we informed the FIA last week that we would not defend the charges and we accepted our responsibilities in relation to the incident in Singapore and we immediately took appropriate action inside the team.

The governing body said the severity of Briatore’s penalty was the result of the both nature of the scandal and “his actions in continuing to deny his participation in the breach despite all the evidence”.

The FIA said Renault’s former driver Nelson Piquet Jr, who was found guilty of conspiring with Symonds and Briatore to cause the crash with helped its other driver Fernando Alonso win the race, “apologised unreservedly” for his part in the plot, but will face no personal punishment after the FIA offered him full immunity in exchange for a full disclosure of the facts.

Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, has been cleared of all involvement in the plot and the FIA thanked the double world champion for his help with its enquires after he appeared at Tuesday’s hearing.

Flavio Briatore quits Renault F1

• Posted in F1 News

Statement from the official Renault F1 website reads:

“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.

Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009, the team will not make any further comment.”

The FIA could still impose sanctions if Renault are found guilty, including excluding the team from the championship, although that must be considered unlikely given the two people Piquet said were responsible have now left the team.

Piquet crashed in Singapore two laps after Alonso had come in for a routine pit stop.

Former team boss Eddie Jordan said he was surprised by Renault’s announcement but believes it was effectively an admission of guilt.

Renault called on ‘fix’ charge

• Posted in F1 News

Renault called to WMSC on ‘fix’ charge

Renault has been summoned to appear before the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council later this month to answer charges that it sought to fix the result of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Renault charged over alleged Singapore Grand Prix conspiracy

Representatives of the Renault Formula One team have been requested to appear before an extraordinary meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in France later this month.

Renault called to face fix charge

The incident aided Piquet’s team-mate Fernando Alonso, with the Spaniard going on to claim victory.

If found guilty, the team face severe sanctions which could include expulsion from the current F1 world championship.