Alonso cleared to race at European GP after appeal

PARIS — 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.

But the French Motor Sport Federation overturned the suspension before the appeals panel at motor racing’s Paris headquarters. Renault was instead fined $50,000.

“The reason there are two races in Spain is largely because of Fernando’s involvement,” Renault team manager Steve Nielsen. “People in Spain were not so interested in F1 until he got involved.”

Renault’s 2009 test driver Romain Grosjean of France is to take the place of Nelson Piquet Jr. of Brazil and race alongside Alonso in Valencia. Qualifying starts Friday. Piquet was fired from Renault this month and blamed team principal Flavio Briatore for his poor showing in F1.

None of the F1 drivers attended Monday’s hearing. Also representing Renault were engineering director Pat Symonds and technical director Bob Bell, while F1 race director Charlie Whiting represented the governing body (FIA). Carlos Gracia, the president of Spain’s motor sport federation, and vice president Joaquin Verdegay also attended and hasked for leniency.

FIA reprimanded Renault for allowing Alonso to leave the pit lane with his wheel not securely fastened to his car during the Hungarian GP on July 26. The wheel dislodged from Alonso’s car as he rounded turn No. 9 after 13 laps of racing, and bounced wildly down the track.

A day earlier, Brazilian driver Felipe Massa was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being struck by an object dislodged from another car during qualifying. Massa had surgery on his skull and is recovering.

FIA stewards said Renault had knowingly released Alonso’s car from the pit stop position “without one of the retaining devices for the wheel-nuts being securely in position”, adding that Renault failed to inform Alonso of the problem.

The decision to suspend Renault was made after the FIA reviewed film and radio recordings from the race at the Hungaroring circuit on the outskirts of Budapest.

Renault argued it did not realize there was a problem with Alonso’s car, so there was “no moral responsibility” on their part.

But FIA said a lack of communication between the two mechanics working on Alonso’s car and the chief mechanic who authorized him to leave the pit does not excuse the error.

Live footage, which stewards would have seen at race speed and without slow-motion replays, did not show any immediate problem with Alonso’s car as it left the pit. Renault used similar footage from F1 races where other drivers had breached safety rules.