Editing Renault in Formula One (section)

==== A season of on-track mediocrity and off track scandal (2009) ====
[[File:Renault R29 left 2017 Museo Fernando Alonso.jpg|thumb|left|232x232px|Renault R29 left 2017 Museo Fernando Alonso]]
[[File:Romain Grosjean 2009 Japan 1st Qualify.jpg|thumb|right|Then rookie [[Romain Grosjean]] driving for Renault at the [[2009 Japanese Grand Prix]].]]
Renault entered the season with high hopes of challenging both world titles. Although Alonso managed four points finishes in the first six races, it was soon clear that this target was unrealistic. By mid-season, it appeared as though Renault were making progress, with Alonso setting the fastest lap in [[2009 German Grand Prix|Germany]] and securing pole position in [[2009 Hungarian Grand Prix|Hungary]], albeit on a light fuel load. However, Alonso was forced to retire early in Hungary due to a fuel pump failure, after a front wheel came loose as it was incorrectly fitted at his first pit stop. At [[2009 Belgian Grand Prix|Belgium]] Alonso again looked like scoring a podium for the team but had to retire with another problem with one of his wheels which was damaged as a result of a first-lap clash with [[Adrian Sutil]]. Piquet performed poorly in the first half of the season and was replaced by [[Romain Grosjean]] for the last third of the season. Neither Piquet nor Grosjean managed to score a point. A podium in [[2009 Singapore Grand Prix|Singapore]] was little consolation in what had been a frustrating and controversial season for the team.
Renault had been suspended for one race (the 2009 European Grand Prix) due to the incident involving [[Fernando Alonso]]'s wheel not being fitted properly in the [[2009 Hungarian Grand Prix]], however, this has been overturned on appeal following a decision from the FIA on 17 August 2009.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090819102635/http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/ica/2009/Pages/ica_170809a.aspx International Court of Appeal – Decision]. Retrieved 17 August 2009. {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8169649.stm Renault suspended from next race]. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>

On 4 August, [[Nelson Piquet Jr.]] was told by Renault he would not continue driving for them for the rest of the season. "I have received notice from Renault of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season", read a statement on Piquet's website. Piquet had described the {{F1|2009}} season as "the worst period of my career" and had criticised team boss [[Flavio Briatore]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8166688.stm|title=Piquet Jr dropped by Renault team |date=4 August 2009|work=BBC Sport |access-date=4 August 2009}}</ref> He was replaced by test driver [[Romain Grosjean]] as of the {{F1 GP|2009|European}}.<ref>{{cite news|last=English|first=Steven|title=Renault confirms Grosjean in, Piquet out|publisher=[[Haymarket Group|Haymarket Publications]]|work=autosport.com|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77740|date=18 August 2009|access-date=18 August 2009}}</ref>

After his first podium of the year in Singapore, [[Fernando Alonso]] confirmed that he would be leaving Renault, moving to [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] in 2010.

;Race rigging allegations
{{Main|Renault Formula One crash controversy}}
{{quote box
| quote = The [[ING Group|ING]] Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|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.
| source = Renault F1 statement, 16 September 2009<ref name="RenaultStatement16Sep09">{{cite web|url=http://www.ing-renaultf1.com/en/_2009/team/index.php#/team/newsdesk/communiques/ |title=ING Renault F1 Team Statement – 16 September 2009 |publisher=ING Renault F1 |date=16 September 2009 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921033111/http://www.ing-renaultf1.com/en/_2009/team/index.php |archive-date=21 September 2009 }}</ref>
| align = right
| width = 27%
}}
During the 2009 season, the actions of Renault F1 during the 2008 season were examined over alleged race-fixing. The issue surrounded [[Nelson Piquet Jr.]]'s crash during the [[2008 Singapore Grand Prix]] which Renault teammate [[Fernando Alonso]] went on to win. At the time, Piquet Jr. had characterised the incident as a simple mistake. After Piquet Jr. left the Renault team in August 2009, allegations surfaced that this crash had been deliberate, to give an advantage to Alonso. Following a [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]] (FIA) investigation in which Piquet Jr. stated he had been asked by Renault team principal [[Flavio Briatore]] and engineer [[Pat Symonds]] to stage the crash, on 4 September 2009 Renault were charged with conspiracy and race-fixing and were due to face the [[FIA World Motor Sport Council]] in Paris on 21 September 2009. Initially, Renault and Briatore stated they would take legal action against Piquet Jr. for making false allegations, however, before the meeting, Renault announced they would not contest the charges, and that Briatore and Symonds had left the team.<ref name="Telegraph17Sep09QnA">{{cite news
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/lotus/6199480/Q-and-A-why-Renault-face-race-fixing-allegations-and-other-questions.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/lotus/6199480/Q-and-A-why-Renault-face-race-fixing-allegations-and-other-questions.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live
|title=Q and A: why Renault face race-fixing allegations and other questions
|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]
|date=17 September 2009
|access-date=17 September 2009
| location=London
| first=Tom
| last=Cary
}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="BBC17Sep09Blame">{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8261004.stm
|title=Renault blames Briatore & Symonds
|publisher=BBC Sport
|date=17 September 2009
|access-date=17 September 2009
}}</ref> At the meeting, the Council banned Renault from Formula One, but suspended this sanction for two years, meaning Renault would have been thrown out of Formula One if a similar incident occurred before the end of the 2011 season. FIA stated that Renault would have likely been thrown out of Formula One if it had not taken swift action in pushing out Briatore and Symonds. At the same meeting, Briatore was banned from FIA events for life, while Symonds received a five-year ban. The bans on Briatore and Symonds were subsequently overturned by a French court in 2010. FIA, Briatore and Symonds reached a settlement that allowed Briatore and Symonds to return to FIA in 2011 and to Formula One in 2013.