Briatore and Symonds leave Renault

In a statement released today, the Renault F1 team announce that its two leading men and longtime members of the team, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have left the team in the light of the race fixing allegations at the 2008 Singapore GP.

"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix."

"It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team."

"Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009, the team will not make any further comment."

Yesterday it was revealed that Symonds would not get punished for the alleged race fixing scandal in Singapore last year. As is now clear, he had no choice but to leave the team together with Flavio Briatore in order to secure Renault's Formula One operations.