REPORT: Briatore and Symonds could be extradited to Singapore to face criminal charges

[Giuseppe F1]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...g-scandal.html


Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds face extraditon threat over race-fixing scandal

Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds could potentially be extradited to Singapore to face criminal charges in the wake of their departure from Renault on Wednesday in connection with race-fixing claims.


By Tom Cary
Published: 7:00AM BST
17 Sep 2009


Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds face extraditon threat over race-fixing scandal

There are also legal challenges open to Ferrari and their driver Felipe Massa, who missed out on last year's world drivers' crown by a single point; and to Renault itself, which may want to sue its former employees for allegedly bringing the company's name into disrepute.

Renault F1 managing director Briatore and executive director of engineering Symonds departed under a cloud on Wednesday as it was announced that the team would not contest charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

The pair were accused by former driver Nelson Piquet Jr of asking him to crash in last September's race in order to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win the race, and were due to go before the FIA's World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Monday.

Briatore had denied all claims made against him and even announced last week that he had launched criminal proceedings against Piquet Jnr and his father, triple world champion Nelson Piquet Snr, for "attempted blackmail and false allegations".

Symonds had been rather more reticent and had been offered immunity in return for full disclosure.

However, Renault now says it will not contest the charges. The French manufacturer has been conducting its own internal investigation ever since the allegations came to light and has yet to say anything official in public.

Monday's WMSC hearing will still take place but will now probably be attended by a Renault team lawyer, who will plead for clemency, claiming the alleged actions of two men should not affect the employment of nearly 700 other staff.

The FIA could still impose sanctions if it finds Renault guilty, including excluding the team from the championship, although that must be considered unlikely given the two people Piquet claimed were responsible have now left.

The FIA will also bear in mind that it does not want another manufacturer to leave the sport and is likely to let Renault escape lightly in 'the best interests of the sport'.

So much for the sporting repercussions. Renault potentially faces a glut of other legal repercussions as a result of Briatore's and Symonds's alleged actions.

Telegraph Sport understands Singapore could request extradition from a Commonwealth country for someone charged for offences which are deemed "extradition crimes".

Part One of the First Schedule of the Singapore Extradition Act lists "acts done with the intention of endangering vehicles, vessels or aircraft" as an extraditable crime. "Malicious or wilful damage to property" is also on the list.

Whether the Singapore government would want to jeopardise its chances of hosting future grands prix by dragging Formula One's name through the mud is a moot point.

Ferrari's and Massa's case against Renault could prove more substantial. The Brazilian, who had been leading in Singapore until Piquet's crash, finished 13th in the race and ended up losing the championship to Lewis Hamilton by a single point. Both he and the team's loss of earnings would be significant.

Stephen Hornsby, a specialist sports lawyer for Davenport Lyons, believes they could potentially have a stronger case than Sheffield United, who won £30 millon in damages from West Ham over the Carlos Tévez affair earlier this year after being relegated from the Premier League in 2007.

"There is a clear causal link between the alleged cheating and the financial loss to Massa and his team," Hornsby said. "As for Renault suing Briatore that is possible too. But Renault are unlikely to want to keep the matter going for little reward."

[harsha]

lol...I wonder if Alonso likes how he unwittingly helped Hamilton to win the Championship

afterall,those two guys were such close chums

[wedge]

Any sympathy towards Flav if he ended up in Changi Prison?

[harsha]

nope,none whatsoever :

[ioan]

It does fail to mention that Felipe's loss of grid position was due to a pitstop cock up... Saying they were more under pressure is rubbish IMO, as every pitstop is a highly pressurised environment and relies on people not making mistakes. There are too many ifs and buts about last season and I think this would be hard to prove or link with the cheating scandal. Good luck to them none the less though, but it doesn't change the fact Felipe didn't score enough points. They could also try and sue the Melbourne circuit for having a wall so close to turn one, and Malaysia for having a poor track surface.. Both these incidents also played a part in the final outcome IMO....

Before you start pushing the piano even faster down the stairs, there is no official statement from Ferrari or Massa about them starting any kind of actions related to Crashgate.

[TMorel]

I can't see how you could say Massa would have won, and fair play to Ferrari and Felipe for not.

OK, so NPjr didn't crash, Alonso didnt win, didn't carry the momentum thru to Japan and so Kubika won instead of just coming second, this inspires BMW to keep pushing after all and so instead of being out the way down the pack, Quick Nick is up in the mix in Brazil and takes off Massa, Lewis is free to drive like a loon without the pressure of cruising for 5th and so wins the last race of the championship. Someone suggests what with all the "Rule Britania" in the press of nabbing Button for an all Brit team and so Brawn never gets off the ground this season, Lewis doesnt need to cheat in Australia and without that, McClaren go on to greatness winning the Nobel Peace Prize and entering a junior team full of cute orphaned puppies.

For the love of god, have none of you SEEN "The Butterfly Effect"
You can't just go around saying things would have turned out different for Massa

[Sonic]

Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke.

Enjoy jail Flab - its one way to cut costs I suppose, no yachts!

[Knock-on]

Enter Valve Bounce stage left

[Valve Bounce]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...g-scandal.html


Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds face extraditon threat over race-fixing scandal

Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds could potentially be extradited to Singapore to face criminal charges in the wake of their departure from Renault on Wednesday in connection with race-fixing claims.


By Tom Cary
Published: 7:00AM BST
17 Sep 2009

OMIGOD!! they stole that from me!! I posted all that first. Do I have grounds for suing the Telegraph? :

[Knock-on]

Enter Valve Bounce stage left

God, am I good or what