FIA to appeal French court's Briatore decision 11 Jan 2010
The FIA will appeal last week’s decision by a French court to overturn the bans they had placed on Renault's former team boss Flavio Briatore and former executive director of engineering Pat Symonds. Briatore and Symonds were both penalised by the sport’s governing body for conspiring to fix the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
The FIA’s statement in full:
The President of the FIA has consulted the FIA Senate and the FIA’s lawyers about the decision of the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris of 5 January. It was unanimously agreed that an appeal would be prepared.
In his election campaign last summer, FIA President Jean Todt and his team announced that new measures for constructive change, including a disciplinary procedure, would be introduced. Work on this is well advanced. Once in place, this will address the issues in the Court’s judgement. Nonetheless, an appeal is merited.
While the appeal is underway, the Word Motor Sport Council’s decision of 21 September 2009 remains in full effect. However, in view of the uncertainty that this may create for drivers who may be affected by this decision, the FIA President and FIA Senate have decided that, pending the outcome of the FIA’s appeal, Superlicences will continue to be issued to qualifying drivers in the usual way.
The FIA President, the FIA Senate, the World Motor Sport Council, and the FIA’s Member Clubs from all countries will take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the continuing integrity and safety of the sport.
