Renault suspended for European GP over loose wheel

October 9th, 2009 LONDON - Disgraced former Renault Formula One racing driver Nelson Piquet Jr has said that he is looking forward to make a comeback to F1 racing less that 12 months after the Singapore Grand Prix fiasco. According to reports, the 23-year-old is on the shortlist for new Spanish entrants Campos and he is also in contact with a number of F1 outfits.

October 5th, 2009 LONDON - Nelson Piquet Junior claims his former team Renault had "threatened" to withdraw his contract unless he agreed to purposefully crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. In what has become known as 'crashgate', the French manufacturer was last month found guilty of causing an accident to aid the cause of their driver Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race.

October 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Ferrari driver Felipe Massa is of the view that the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix result on the grounds that Renault driver Nelson Piquet Junior's deliberately crashed and allowed teammate Fernando Alonso to win, "robbing" him of glory. All of what happened was robbery - but regarding the race nothing has happened, the result remains the same.

September 22nd, 2009 HAMBURG - The Renault Formula One team would not comment Tuesday on a possible successor to Flavio Briatore as team principal, with some reports saying former world champion Alain Prost is a leading candidate. A spokeswoman referred to the team's press statement from Monday which said further information would be issued in the next few days.

September 21st, 2009 PARIS - The FIA's World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) on Monday handed over a two-year suspended ban to Renault Formula One team for ordering former driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to deliberately crash his car during the 2008 season's Singapore Grand Prix to help teammate Fernando Alonso win.

September 21st, 2009 PARIS - A hearing which could decide the future of the Renault Formula One team began at FIA's Paris headquarters Monday. Renault was answering charges at the federation's World Motor Sport Council that it ordered its former driver Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

September 21st, 2009 Renault gets 2-year suspended ban in crash scandalPARIS — Renault escaped severe punishment Monday for ordering former driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to deliberately crash, receiving only a suspended two-year ban from Formula One's governing body.

September 5th, 2009 PARIS - Motorsport's governing body FIA has asked Formula One team Renault to appear before a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council to answer a series of charges. AN FIA statement said the meeting would be held September 21.

August 18th, 2009 Romain Grosjean named as new Renault driverPARIS — French driver Romain Grosjean will replace Nelson Piquet Jr. behind the wheel of a Renault at Sunday's European Grand Prix.

August 17th, 2009 Renault F1 appeals over European Grand Prix banPARIS — Renault's appeal against its suspension from the European Grand Prix began Monday, with the Formula One team optimistic the decision will be overturned to allow two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to race in his native Spain. Motor sport's governing body suspended Renault from the race in Valencia after the team allowed Alonso to leave pit lane with a loose wheel during last month's Hungarian GP.

August 17th, 2009 Alonso cleared to race at European GP after appealPARIS — Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso of Spain was cleared to ride in the European Grand Prix in his home country after Renault won an appeal Monday to overturn a one-race suspension. The governing body of motor sports had suspended Renault from Sunday's race in Valencia, contending the team allowed Alonso to leave the pit lane with a loose wheel during last month's Hungarian GP.

July 31st, 2009 LONDON - Formula One (F1) champion Lewis Hamilton has expressed delight at the return of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, saying that it will be an honour and a privilege to go wheel to wheel with his hero. Schumacher would replace injured Brazilian driver Felipe Massa at errari if he passes a fitness test "I am excited by the possibility of Michael's return.

July 31st, 2009 Schumacher tests old car ahead of comebackMUGELLO, Italy — Michael Schumacher was back in the cockpit of a Formula One car on Friday — and it felt good. The seven-time F1 champion borrowed an old Ferrari to test his form ahead of a comeback to F1 as substitute driver for the injured Felipe Massa.

July 27th, 2009 European GP organizers hope Renault ban reversedVALENCIA, Spain — Organizers of the European Grand Prix want Formula One authorities to rescind Renault's suspension from the race so Fernando Alonso can compete in his native Spain. Jorge Aspar, the vice president of Valmor Sports, believes Valencia fans are being unfairly punished for Renault's security mistakes.

July 26th, 2009 FIA suspends Renault from next F1 raceBUDAPEST, Hungary — Renault has been suspended from the upcoming European Grand Prix after allowing Fernando Alonso to leave pit lane with a loose tire in the Hungarian GP. Governing body FIA said on Sunday that the French team "is suspended from the next event in the Formula One" championship.