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Piquet condemns ex-boss, hopes for swift F1 return

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-23 09:28

PARIS: Former Renault driver Nelson Piquet criticized his former team boss Flavio Briatore and expressed bitter regret for his own role in Formula One's race-fixing controversy on Monday.

Brazilian Nelson Piquet, driver for Renault Formula One team, arrives for a race-fixing hearing at the International Automobile Federation (FIA)'s headquarters in Paris September 21, 2009. Renault has said it would not contest accusations the team ordered Piquet to crash his car into a wall at last year's Singapore Grand Prix so that Spanish team mate Alonso might win. [Agencies]

After Renault were handed a suspended two-year ban by the governing FIA for ordering Piquet to crash in Singapore last year, the Brazilian driver said he hoped another team would give him the chance to 'start from zero'.

Piquet, who went to the International Automobile Federation (FIA) to expose what had happened after he had been dropped by the team in August, said in an emotional statement that his time at Renault under Briatore had been a nightmare.

"Having dreamed of being a F1 driver and having worked so hard to get there, I found myself at the mercy of Mr Briatore," he said.

Related readings:  Piquet senior raised concerns last year: report  Sacked Piquet slams Renault boss  Shamed Renault wait to hear fate  Out, gone, finished? What now for 'race-fixing' Renault?

"His true character, which had previously only been known to those he had treated like this in the past, is now known.

"Mr Briatore was my manager as well as the team boss, he had my future in his hands but he cared nothing for it. By the time of the Singapore GP he had isolated me and driven me to the lowest point I had ever reached in my life," he said.

The FIA banned Briatore, who manages four other F1 drivers apart from Piquet, from the sport for life. Briatore and engineering head Pat Symonds had already left the Renault team.

"I am relieved that the FIA investigation has now been concluded," Piquet said, apologising to fans and the FIA.

"Those now running the Renault F1 Team took the decision, as I did, that it is better that the truth be known and accept the consequences.

"The most positive thing to come from bringing this to the attention of the FIA is that nothing like it will ever happen again.

"I bitterly regret my actions to follow the orders I was given. I wish every day that I had not done it," he said.

Piquet, whose father and namesake was a triple world champion, said he could not now believe he agreed to the plan presented to him on the morning of the race by Briatore and Symonds.

"Listening now to Mr Briatore's reaction to my crash and hearing the comments he has made to the press over the past two weeks, it is clear to me that I was simply being used by him then to be discarded and left to ridicule," he said.

Piquet, who was handed immunity from prosecution in return for telling the truth, said he would have to start his career from scratch and did not expect to be forgiven or forgotten.

"I can only hope that a team will recognize how badly I was stifled at Renault and give me an opportunity to show what I promised in my career in F3 and GP2," he said.

"What can be assured is that there will be no driver in F1 as determined as me to prove myself."

Reuters