Renault could be severely punished

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Renault could be thrown out of the Formula One world championship if found guilty of causing a crash at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The crash helped Fernando Alonso win last year's inaugural night race.

Just five days after details emerged of the incidents that unfolded in the sport's historic first night race last September, the FIA will now sit in judgment on Renault.

An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council will take place in Paris on Monday, September 21, with Renault facing charges of being in breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

Article 151c relates to 'any fraudulent conduct or act prejudicial to the interests of any competition, or to the interests of motor sport generally'.

The charge is that "the team conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso".

In this instance the FIA's powers are wide-ranging, as McLaren found to their cost in 2007 when they were fined £50million for being in breach of the same article in relation to the spygate saga.

Should Renault be punished, it is almost certain the penalty will be severe, especially as deliberately crashing a car puts the lives of not only the driver, but also marshals and spectators at risk.

Alonso would naturally be stripped of his victory, potentially even all his points from last season, which may result in Renault being forced to pay back all their prize money for 2008.

In addition, there is the real prospect of their exclusion from this year's championship, which in turn may ultimately lead to Renault's decision to withdraw from the sport altogether.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone sounded a warning this week there would be "a lot of trouble" if the allegations are found to be true.

Ecclestone also suggested Renault could follow Honda and BMW out of F1 due to the adverse publicity they are currently receiving.

Alonso certainly appeared fortunate in taking the chequered flag in Singapore as the double world champion had started from 15th on the grid.

Intriguingly, Renault had opted to fuel Alonso short for his first stint, a bizarre tactic when starting so far down and on a typical street track where it is notoriously difficult to pass.

Renault gambled on there being a safety car incident, and just two laps after Alonso made his first pit stop on lap 12, Piquet's crash turned the race on its head.

It brought the safety car into play, shaking up the field, with the Spaniard ultimately giving Renault their first win for two years at a time when it was strongly rumoured they were considering quitting the sport.

Piquet explained the incident away by claiming he was trying too hard, made a mistake and scraped one wall a little too closely.

Only recently Piquet was sacked by the team, with the suggestion it was he, or his father/manager Nelson Piquet snr, who blew the whistle, prompting an investigation, and now subsequent hearing.

Renault were last night refusing to make any comment, and confirmed they will not do so before attending the hearing.