Renault decide against race-fixing stand as Briatore quits

Renault’s Formula One boss Flavio Briatore has quit his post after the team announced Wednesday that it would not dispute race-fixing allegations relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. In a statement on its Web site, the French team announced that its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, has also stepped down

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FIA to probe Singapore crash

Formula One’s governing body has launched an investigation into "alleged incidents at a previous Formula One event". Although the FIA haven’t yet formally disclosed the race in question, it has been reported by several new agencies that the race in question is the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix held in September last year. The investigation is believed to relate to a crash by Renault’s Nelson Piquet.

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Schumacher to test 2007 Ferrari this week

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will step-up his preparations for a return to Formula One by getting behind the wheel of Ferrari’s 2007 F1 car this week — the official Formula One site has reported. The German will have a two-day test session at Italian circuit Mugello, starting on Tuesday, as he prepares to takes over from the injured Felipe Massa at the European Grand Prix in Valencia later this month. It follows the 40-year-old’s one-day stint in the two-year-old car, running on GP2 slick tyres, just over a week ago.

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Motorsport: Williams block Schu testing bid

Michael Schumacher will not be able to test for Ferrari ahead of his F1 comeback after the rival Williams team refused to give permission. The 40-year-old Schumacher has been drafted in as a replacement for the stricken Felipe Massa and wanted to be granted a day at the wheel of the Ferrari F60 before the European Grand Prix at Valencia in three weeks time.

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Formula One signs new deal to seal future

Formula One’s future has been secured after a tumultuous week which saw BMW withdraw from next year’s championship and Felipe Massa’s serious injury pave the way for Michael Schumacher’s return. The FIA, the sport’s governing body, said in a statement that 12 teams had signed a new Concorde Agreement — the contract governing how Formula One is run and its financial spoils split.

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BMW to leave Formula One at end of season

German car manufacturer BMW has announced it is to pull out of Formula One and the end of the current season after a "landmark" decision to restructure the group’s motorsport activities was made by the company’s board in a meeting on Tuesday. A statement on the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s official Web site stated that “the Formula One campaign is [no longer] a key promoter for us” and that “current developments in motor sport” had resulted in the decision. The Chairman of the BMW board of management said: “Of course, this was a very difficult decision for us.

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