Renault Firms Up Plans for 2010 F1 Season

Photo Credit: Renault F1 Racing

In the midst of still savage climate in auto racing as auto manufacturers continue to struggle for profitability, Formula 1 has experienced 3 major departures through the past two seasons (Honda, BMW and Toyota). Desiring some stability, the FIA took comfort with French auto maker Renault reaffirming its commitment to the ultra exotic open-wheel series for 2010. However, this renewal by Renault to powering the Formula 1 grid came with a concurring announcement changing the nature of their relationship in the sport.

Renault F1, the French auto maker's factory team, will now be majority-owned by a private investment partner entering into 2010. Genii Capital, a Luxembourg-based group known as specialists of new technologies and brand imaging bought what is called a 'large stake' of the Renault F1 operation as the Renault factory looks to getting the best value for their sponsorship as one of the most expensive sports on earth. Genii Capital may also be remembered from earlier this year when they unsuccessfully attempted to buy assets of the bankrupt camera innovator Polaroid. It's believed that the name of the team will continue to be Renault F1 for 2010. Robert Kubica has already been signed to drive in the upcoming Formula 1 season with a second driver still yet to be named.

Buying out Bennetton in 2002 to stake their corporate name on a Formula 1 team, Renault F1 took back-to-back constructor championships in 2005 and 2006 thanks largely to Fernando Alonso's driver crowns.

Coinciding with the sale of a major stake in their namesake Formula 1 team, Renault confirmed that Red Bull Racing will continue to run the French powerplants in 2010. Following Red Bull Racing's best grand prix season with 6 victories and a 2nd place in the manufacturer points standings in 2009, this move seemed like a natural. In fact, going into the new Formula 1 season,
the thriving Formula 1 team has retained the final major piece to enter the 2010 season with essentially the same team as the previous year. In fact, with Brawn GP undergoing a massive corporate reshuffling which includes driver changes and the rebranding as Mercedes Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing could theoretically be heading for a banner year on the 2010 Formula 1 circuit. Having existed solely as an engine supplier in the 1990s, the last F1 customer team to grab a constructors championship was Williams F1 in 1997. Disturbingly though, Renault dropped their official engine support of Formula 1 at the end of that season.

Without making firm plans beyond next year, Renault's planning for the grand prix 2010 season could either be viewed most negatively as a gradual step out of F1, making it the third time Renault withdrew from the sport. However, in a more positive mindset, it is possible that Renault reduced funding (coupled with FIA attempts to cut costs in F1) could provide a better long-term plan for seeing the diamond badge on the grand prix tour.

Long time Renault F1 resigns amid Race Fixing charges by FIA

In a team statement, ING Renault F1 formally announced that the team's principal Flavio Briatore has resigned from the team he had long been associated with running in Formula 1 after an allegation of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. It has been implied that the ING Renault F1 team instructed driver Nelson Piquet Jr to spin out in order to draw a safety car condition to aid teammate Fernando Alonso in winning the race. With ING Renault F1's executive director of engineering Pat Symonds also parting with the team, him and Briatore are cited as the two who masterminded the incident against Formula 1 and the FIA's strict rules forbidding team orders in effecting the outcome of races.

This event was brought to the forefront September 4th, very shortly following ING Renault F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. release from the team after the Belgium Grand Prix. The timing has led some to consider Piquet Jr. whistle blowing to the FIA was spiteful for his parting with the team. In a statement posted on the 11th of September on the ING Renault F1 website, it was alleged that the race fixing scenario could have been created by Piquet as a malicious attempt to defraud his former team. Showing signs of becoming personal, this announcement also expressed that ING Renault F1 and Briatore himself would seek advice on filing criminal charges against Nelson Piquet Jr as well as his father.

A hearing is planned for Monday September 21th in front of the FIA World Motor Sport Council which will certainly be far from forgiving if Briatore and ING Renault F1 are found to be involved in giving team orders. Rules against team orders inside the FIA were created in 1998 after McLaren-Mercedes made a clearly orchestrated swap for the lead.

Known trivially as the biological father of Heidi Klum's first child, Flavio Briatore contributions to Formula 1 racing was as the team director for Benetton (the company which would eventually morph into ING Renault F1) and the fostering of modern F1 legend Michael Schumacher. After leaving Benetton in 1997, Briatore rejoined the factory-supported Benetton-turned Renault F1 team in 2000 and would play an important part in Fernando Alonso's two championships.