The verdict of Briatore’s appeal expected in January
The results of the appeal against Flavio Briatore’s lifetime ban from any involvement in motorsport will not be known before the beginning of 2010. The hearing began yesterday in Paris, with the French jurisdiction indicating that the verdict will be announced on January 5th. Briatore received a sanction from the FIA, a total ban in […]

The results of the appeal against Flavio Briatore’s lifetime ban from any involvement in motorsport will not be known before the beginning of 2010. The hearing began yesterday in Paris, with the French jurisdiction indicating that the verdict will be announced on January 5th.
Briatore received a sanction from the FIA, a total ban in all motorsports managed by the Federation following the rigged race at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. This event saw Nelson Piquet deliberately have an accident with his Renault to help his teammate, Fernando Alonso, who eventually won the race.
Briatore, the team boss, and chief engineer Pat Symonds left Renault before the World Council hearing that was to rule on the incident. It banned Briatore from approaching the sport and imposed a five-year ban on Symonds, who is also appealing. Piquet received immunity in exchange for his testimony, while the Renault team simply received a strong warning.
In a statement issued when he announced his intention to appeal, Briatore, who did not attend yesterday’s hearing, argued that the WMSC’s decision-making process was incorrect: « This decision is a legal absurdity and I am fully confident that the French courts will resolve the issue fairly and impartially. »