The former Renault boss' similarly ousted engineering director Pat Symonds was also expelled from F1 by the FIA, for a lesser period of five years, after the race-fixing scandal emerged last year.

Briatore, backed in his French legal bid by Symonds, challenged the governing body's decision in Paris' Tribunal de Grande Instance in November, including a push for a million euros in damages.

Source: GMM

 

F1's governing body will "probably" appeal the decision of a court to overturn the motor racing bans of crashgate conspirators Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds.

The news, reported by the Evening Standard, follows Tuesday's verdict of the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris, which heard the case in November.

"The court has decided that the punishment was illegal," the judge said, ordering the FIA to pay 15,000 euros in compensation to 59-year-old Briatore, and 5,000 euros to Symonds.

The court added that the outcome of the World Motor Sport Council held in September was "irregular", and gave the FIA 15 days to pay the compensation to avoid 10,000 euro per day fines.

It said the FIA's evidence was weak, and that lawyers were unable to question witnesses because their identity was withheld.

None of the parties have yet made official comment.

Source: GMM

 

What a bunch of crap... F1 politics are such a joke. I'll start calling Flav the "Teflon Don" from now on...

 

... you can't keep the man down ....

 

What a joke... If you're going to have rules, enforce them!

 

We all know that only happens if your team name rhymes with McLaren.

 

qft

 

if this means we get more shots of his wife at races I could get behind this . . .