Singapore's Conspiracy Theory - Briatore/Symonds leave

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 30 Aug 2009, 13:37

During the broadcast of the Belgian GP here in Brazil, the following newsflash was thrown at us:
"FIA is investigating Renault for allegedly making Piquet Jr hit the wall and causing the yellow flag that catapulted Alonso to the lead."
Even with Flav involved, I find it hard to believe, although the guy who told that news, Mr. Reginaldo Leme, is a serious guy.
Has anyone heard anything about this?

lostpin · Post by **lostpin** » 30 Aug 2009, 14:11

Eitherway, if it's true, or if it's not true too, it's surely pathetic... :lol:

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 30 Aug 2009, 14:18

It makes sense, though I doubt it as Piquet would have blown the whistle on them if it was true, and he may have threatened to do this and use those threats to keep his Renault drive. I've heard nothing about it, I strongly doubt anything will happen.

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 30 Aug 2009, 14:49

First I've heard of it too. And even if it's legitmate, there's no way Piquet's accident guaranteed a good result for Renault, much less a win. There were simply too many other factors in play, like Ferrari screwing up Massa's stop (and, by virtue of that, the stop of the waiting Raikkonen) and Hamilton's consistet pace for third.

If Renault deliberately made Piquet crash - and I don't see how they could have done that; it would have been far easier to have him stop on the circuit in a bad place and claim mechanical failure - they should be penalised. Harshly. There's no excuse for messing about with safety like that, and if it's true, hopefully it will mean Briatore's head.

XurizManson · Post by **XurizManson** » 30 Aug 2009, 15:07

Yeah! The 'FlavioGate' is ON!

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 30 Aug 2009, 15:10

This rumour is as stupid as a fridge in Alaska, plain and simple. Why Piquet would have been that stupid?

DonTirri · Post by **DonTirri** » 30 Aug 2009, 15:23

Guys... we are talking about an almost a year old thing...

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 30 Aug 2009, 15:26

To rugby union fans, doesn't this have parallels with what happened with Harlequins where a player faked an injury to help his team???

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 30 Aug 2009, 16:35

Here's a link to the story on the Autosport website: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78195

Ed24 · Post by **Ed24** » 30 Aug 2009, 16:48

*Conspiracy theorists, please stand up!*

If Renault were to be found guilty (quite unlikely, as Piquet has an obvious bias against them), then I hope Ferrari protest as well, as from the Safety Car that Piquet caused, Massa lost the championship in the pits :lol:

Libertango · Post by **Libertango** » 30 Aug 2009, 16:57

"fresh evidence" ? I'm 99% sure Nelson Jr is behind this! :lol:

lostpin · Post by **lostpin** » 30 Aug 2009, 16:59

This is Flab Flav at his finest.. :mrgreen:

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 30 Aug 2009, 18:00

Debaser wrote:To rugby union fans, doesn't this have parallels with what happened with Harlequins where a player faked an injury to help his team???

Yes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjuWyKVH3aM - And we all know what happened to Dean Richards...

But I do think that was much more obvious than this. Also, Piquet was crap, as this forum has established many times over, so I don't think conspiracy theories need to be established to discover why he crashed.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 30 Aug 2009, 18:08

If Renault are DQ'ed the result would be as follows:

Rosberg
Hamilton
Glock
Vettel
Heidfeld
Coulthard
Nakajima
Button

jackanderton · Post by **jackanderton** » 30 Aug 2009, 18:09

Massa left the pits with his fuel hose on because of Ferrari's weird malfunctioning semi-automatic pit release system. I don't see what that had anything to do with this.

Ferrim · Post by **Ferrim** » 30 Aug 2009, 18:17

I ask for Piquet to get Reject of the Year.

He's been crappy all season, not scored a single point, fired from the team and now he comes with this (because this has appeared on Brazilian TV, I'm sure this is coming from him).

JDOD · Post by **JDOD** » 30 Aug 2009, 18:32

The FIA are investigating so its being taken seriously anyway.
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21777.html
Apparently there may actually be some supporting evidence.

Stewart · Post by **Stewart** » 30 Aug 2009, 18:52

WeirdKerr wrote:If Renault are DQ'ed the result would be as follows...

I might be wrong, but I'm sure I've read that race results can't be altered this long after the race. I think there's a cut-off for any appeals or penalties around the end of November of the same calendar year as the race. I'm trying to find the link, but struggling!

jackanderton wrote:Massa left the pits with his fuel hose on because of Ferrari's weird malfunctioning semi-automatic pit release system. I don't see what that had anything to do with this.

Sorry to ruin a good prejudice, but Ferrari's lights system was nothing to do with Massa leaving the pits early. As a result of the confusion in the pitlane during the stop, the system was being operated in full manual mode. It was a human being (the chief mechanic, I think) who gave the signal for the green light.

Ferrim wrote:I ask for Piquet to get Reject of the Year.

He's been crappy all season, not scored a single point, fired from the team and now he comes with this (because this has appeared on Brazilian TV, I'm sure this is coming from him).

The reports I've read suggest that the information came from Felipe Massa, not Piquet. There is an article (in Portuguese) which talks about a conversation between Massa and Flaio Briatore here:

http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/ ... IATOR.html

If it really is true, then I would have expected this to have featured heavily in Piquet's whinge after being fired. It seems that the FIA really are out to hurt Renault and Briatore.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 30 Aug 2009, 19:05

I have no sympathy for Renault in this. Reminds me of when they were Benetton, in 1994, when they cheated their way to the title. Not just because of Adelaidegate, but because of the illegal launch/traction control software and removing the fuel filters, which probably caused Verstappen's monstorous fire at Hockenheim. That was dangerous. Just like Alonso's wheel coming off. I actually hope they are found guilty. I don't like the way Renault is managed at all.

minrdi · Post by **minrdi** » 30 Aug 2009, 21:52

The source has got to be Nelsinho, and it's a damning allegation that F1 just simply doesn't need right now. This is terrible PR for the Renault brand (even if the allegation prove unfounded).

"Hell hath no fear like a scorned F1 driver", it appears. Remember that it was Alonso who opened the book with "fresh evidence" against McLaren in the SpyGate fiasco, with the catalyst no doubt being the perceived favourable treatment of Hamilton.

Many websites (including F1 Rejects) commented that the timing of Piquet's crash appeared particularly convenient to assist Alonso's strategy and vault him up the order, but no investigation was done by the FIA or WMSC following the race. Given the results are nearly a year old and surely past the cut-off date for any appeal, they can't re-open the book once again on this. Even if DQ'd, it doesn't alter the driver's championship reckoning - in fact, Hamilton would have won by a larger margin as he was the only contender who finished in the top-eight. It would bring the sport into complete ridicule if this was looked into much further, and Piquet's reputation as a complete dickhead would be cemented in history, and he would deservedly never grace the F1 circus again.

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 30 Aug 2009, 22:14

Phoenix wrote:This rumour is as stupid as a fridge in Alaska, plain and simple. Why Piquet would have been that stupid?

I did experience 30 Celsius in Fairbanks...
So maybe Piquet was stupid, or something else!

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 30 Aug 2009, 23:25

For all we know, Kimi Raikkonen started this. Desperate to keep his seat at Ferrari, he leaked a story abut Renault supposedly cheating to make Ferrari lose faith in him and thus ave the way for Raikkonen to spend another year with Maranello.

Of course, that assumes a lot, like Alonso-to-Ferrari being as real and serious a deal as everyone is making out.

johnston21 · Post by **johnston21** » 30 Aug 2009, 23:29

Captain Hammer wrote:Of course, that assumes a lot, like Alonso-to-Ferrari being as real and serious a deal as everyone is making out.

I also wonder about this being as "said done" as the press leads us to believe...

XurizManson · Post by **XurizManson** » 31 Aug 2009, 01:07

Ferrim wrote:I ask for Piquet to get Reject of the Year.

He's been crappy all season, not scored a single point, fired from the team and now he comes with this (because this has appeared on Brazilian TV, I'm sure this is coming from him).

It´s the pinnacle of Piquet´s (Senior included) deserved rejectdom. Surely has my vote for ROTY.

Down with Flab Flav! He is ruining the sport for years and shall be banned!

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 31 Aug 2009, 05:09

Where is the publicocrap-o-meter? Bring it on, because this rumour sounds just like Schumi's return for Valencia: all this is meant to do for F1 is to stay in the media and sell tickets for Singapore.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 31 Aug 2009, 15:37

This is boring. The FIA is boring. The people behind this are boring.

Can we move on now?

alejandro · Post by **alejandro** » 01 Sep 2009, 15:40

The FIA is investigating Renault because of accusations mentioning Piquet Jr. crashing under team orders in Singapore 2008 in order to benefit team mate Fernando Alonso.

This is the proof the accusation's wrong: If you tell Nelsinho to go and buy milk, he'll return with a bottle of Coca Cola, if he returns, of course.

Second proof: If Nelsinho is told to crash, he would go and win the race from start to finish.

I don't believe Renault would order such a thing as "Go, crash and spread debris all over the place". It's a big multinational and there's absolutely no traces in Briatore's career of such a behaviour, and in Singapore 2008 he wasn't with Naomi Campbell anymore, being her the only person in the Renault environment with a taste at throwing things.

We, as fans, need to know why was this started ASAP. This is a new application of the "Big Lie" technique used so many times by Hitler and Goebbels and should be forcefully sanctioned by the FIA.

As we remember, Piquet's accident was not the only circumstance that brought Alonso a win in Singapore, if the FIA investigates Renault then Rosberg, Kubica and Massa's mechanics should be investigated as well.

Years ago there was an F1 car which used a giant fan to stick itself to the ground, throwing all the garbage it picked up to other drivers, so it was banned. Name of that car's driver? You guess.

Clue: It's the same guy who started all this while interviewed by the Brazilian press.

And, whatever happens in this investigation, from now on we can positively insult someone by calling him "Piquet" in two sizes: Junior or Senior.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 01 Sep 2009, 15:46

http://www.f1rejects.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=438

hclw · Post by **hclw** » 01 Sep 2009, 16:05

lucas di grassi, renault's sub driver for this year and last, put this up on his twitter a couple of days ago:

"Many surprises in the next week! Today was a long day for me and Renault"

I really like twitter for mad conspiracy theories. The 140 character limitation prevents anything other than a hint being given, leaving the rest up to my over active imagination. My wildly overactive imagination is telling me that a) Renault are in meltdown with Flavio losing his mind and running around the factory wearing just his thong!!!! and b) Alonso has agreed an immediate deal with Ferrari after seeing Flavio rip his thong off and dance naked n the wind tunnel!!!!

but in all seriousness, lets wait and see what the evidence was that prompted the investigation. There must be a bit of evidence or the FIA wouldn't have started looking into it. What that evidence is, we don't know. Was it just Piquet moaning like an old woman or is there something more concrete.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 01 Sep 2009, 18:43

Piquet was not a Brabham driver in 1978......

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 01 Sep 2009, 18:53

I think Alonso replacing Massa just got more realistic after Massa's doctors said he can't race this year.
Which is just as well for Alonso, because there may well be no more team soon enough.

DonTirri · Post by **DonTirri** » 01 Sep 2009, 20:48

[quote="alejandro"]
Years ago there was an F1 car which used a giant fan to stick itself to the ground, throwing all the garbage it picked up to other drivers, so it was banned. Name of that car's driver? You guess.

Clue: It's the same guy who started all this while interviewed by the Brazilian press.
/quote]

Lauda and Watson were interwieved by the brazilian press?
(watching the 1978 F1 season review and goddammit was the Fancar ugly)

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 01 Sep 2009, 21:18

Piquet Sr. got the Brabham drive in 1979, and the BT46 was not anymore.

And this accusations are irrelevant. If someone tells you to crash against a concrete barrier at 200 km/h, would you be idiot enough to do it?

TeamTipper · Post by **TeamTipper** » 01 Sep 2009, 21:35

Piquet jr is old enough to know what is right and wrong. Even if renault told him to crash would u? Its stupid. he could of scored points and Alonso might of still won. A waste of time to invested.

hclw · Post by **hclw** » 01 Sep 2009, 22:46

Phoenix wrote:
If someone tells you to crash against a concrete barrier at 200 km/h, would you be idiot enough to do it?

this line inspired me to do a photoshop

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 01 Sep 2009, 23:58

kostas22 wrote:I think Alonso replacing Massa just got more realistic after Massa's doctors said he can't race this year.

Alonso has said it's impossible to race for Ferrari this year.

SuperAguri · Post by **SuperAguri** » 02 Sep 2009, 06:20

If this is coming from Nelson Piqeut Jr and it turns out to be complete nonsense and NPJ just throwing his toys out the pram then I hope he get's banned from getting an FIA license. Alonso won due to lots of circumstances, all of which went in his favour, are you telling me the Renault bribed the Ferrari chief mechanic to let Massa go early?

Nelson Piqeut Jr wasn't know for being able to keep the car on the track, he nearly had as many spins as Ukyou Katayama and saw as nearly as much gravel as Jos Verstappen did. So him losing it in Singapore isn't really a surprise.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 02 Sep 2009, 09:03

SuperAguri wrote:Nelson Piqeut Jr wasn't know for being able to keep the car on the track, he nearly had as many spins as Ukyou Katayama and saw as nearly as much gravel as Jos Verstappen did. So him losing it in Singapore isn't really a surprise.

Exactly. This just remind me of China, this year. He just could not keep it on the dark stuff!

Tealy · Post by **Tealy** » 02 Sep 2009, 09:32

Surely all Flav would have had to do was just announce on the radio to Piquet that he was doing well and to keep pushing. There was no need to demand a crash.

muttley · Post by **muttley** » 02 Sep 2009, 09:41

alejandro wrote:Years ago there was an F1 car which used a giant fan to stick itself to the ground, throwing all the garbage it picked up to other drivers, so it was banned. Name of that car's driver? You guess.

Clue: It's the same guy who started all this while interviewed by the Brazilian press.

Piquet started driving for Brabham midway through the season, hence he never drove the BT46B fan car, which was used for one race only:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_Formula_One_season
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_Swedish_Grand_Prix

You can't give clues when you're clueless :twisted: