Briatore asks court to overturn suspension
Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009
AP
Philippe Ouakrat, lawyer of former Renault boss Flavio Briatore, arrives at the Paris courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009. Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore will demand euro1 million in damages from Formula One's world governing body, the FIA, if a Paris court overturns the lifetime suspension against him. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
AP
French car manufacturer Renault chairman Carlos Ghosn addresses reporters during a press conference at the Flins Renault plant, west of Paris, Thursday Nov. 5, 2009. Ghosn says the automaker will announce whether it will stay in Formula One racing before the year's end. Renault's reputation was recently damaged by a crash scandal that led to team principal Flavio Briatore's indefinite ban from the sport. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)
AP
Philippe Ouakrat, centre, lawyer of Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore, speaks to the press, as he arrives at the Paris courthouse, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009. Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore will demand euro1 million in damages from Formula One's world governing body, the FIA, if a Paris court overturns the lifetime suspension against him. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
PARIS -- Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore asked a French court on Tuesday to overturn his lifetime suspension from Formula One and force the sport's governing body to pay him $1.5 million in damages.
Briatore didn't attend the hearing, but his lawyer, Philippe Ouakrat, said the Italian denied having a role in ordering Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to deliberately crash his car to help teammate Fernando Alonso win the Singapore Grand Prix last year.
FIA, the circuit's governing body, ruled in September that Briatore was behind the scheme.
Former Renault chief engineer Pat Symonds also asked the court to overturn his five-year suspension from the sport issued by FIA's World Motor Sport Council. He asked for $750,000 in damages.
The court's decisions on both men is expected Jan. 5.
"Briatore wants to recover his freedom and be able to do what he wants," Ouakrat said. "When he decided to leave Renault, he took moral responsibility for the mistake, but he doesn't want to be penalized for something he is not responsible for."
FIA lawyer Jean-Francois Prat responded that it was the FIA's responsibility to guarantee the security of its events.
"Honestly, we hadn't seen something as unethical in a sports competition before," Prat said. "To me, it was almost a crime. Many people's lives were endangered."
In a deposition given to FIA investigators in exchange for his immunity, Piquet Jr. said Briatore and Symonds ordered him to crash into the wall at turn 14, where it would take the most time to clear the damaged car and result in the longest possible delay.
Renault, which received a suspended ban, expects to announce before the end of the year whether it will remain in Formula One.
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