Renault management raises the tone on the F1 subsidiary!

Patrick Pelata, the CEO of Renault (the company), commented on the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix affair and confirmed that the team must acknowledge its faults. According to the Frenchman, the person responsible must be sanctioned as soon as possible.

Until Thursday, no Renault executive had mentioned the Formula 1 cheating scandal, leaving all communication to the F1 subsidiary. Now, Patrick Pelata has raised his voice and admits to being disappointed: « I don’t know all the details of the case, but there was wrongdoing, and every wrongdoing deserves a penalty. »

Recently, the team specified that it would plead guilty at the World Council in Paris on Monday. Interviewed on RTL radio, Pelata also confirmed that Briatore had left the team of his own accord and Pat Symonds was dismissed. Briatore felt morally responsible.

« We will know more next Monday when we meet the FIA, but for now, it is statute-barred. Even though we know there is a fault. Of course, it’s a hard blow for the company and the team. But we don’t want two people’s fault to affect an entire team. »

The team costs Renault around 350 million Euros for disappointing results and very bad publicity. Pelata, however, contradicted the rumors, stating that Renault had no intention of stopping its Formula 1 program: « It is probably not on the agenda. »

From now on without a director or technical director, names of potential replacements are circulating in the paddocks. Alain Prost is among the favorites to replace Briatore, but according to the Renault director, no discussions have started on this matter.

Carlos Ghosn, the director of the Renault group has not commented on the matter for the moment.