IAF summons Renault over '08 Singapore win

Represenatives of the Renault Formula 1 team were told on Friday they must appear before an extraordinary hearing of the IAF's World Motor Sport Council to answer charges involving a crash in last year's Singapore GP.

The meeting will take place here on September 21 when team officials will be asked to account for Nelson Piquet's crash in the night race. There is a suspicion that the crash was intentional with the aim of helping team mate Fernando Alonso win.

A statement released by the IAF read: "The team representatives have been called to answer charges... that the team conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet, 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."

Alonso's victory in Singapore came after he had enjoyed the advantage of refuelling just before Piquet's crash, which introduced the safety car period.

Piquet has denied all suggestions that he was ordered to crash and instead has insisted that he spun off because he was pushing too hard.

Piquet was dismissed by Renault in August and was afterwards outspoken in his criticism of the team and team boss Flavio Briatore, describing the Italian as "his executioner".

Renault refused to comment on the incident last Friday.

"The Renault F1 Team acknowledges the IAF's request for representatives to appear before the World Motor Sport Council," the team said in a statement. "The team will not make any further comment before attending the hearing."

Former World champion Renault has already been in the IAF dock this season. The team was banned for one race after a wheel flew off Alonso's car at the Hungarian GP.

The suspension, which would have ruled Alonso out of his home race in Valencia in August, was lifted on appeal. - AFP