The FIA website states that "Representatives of ING Renault F1 have been requested to appear before an extraordinary meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Monday, 21 September 2009"
"The team representatives have been called to answer charges, including a breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, that the team conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso."
It seems some what coincidental that one of the drivers concerned has recently parted company with Renault on less than amicable terms.
Would a team really risk the life of driver to win a race? If the charge is proved, this would surely rate as one of the most despicable acts in F1, perhaps sporting, history.
Let's look at what actually happened*.
Qualifying
During qualifying, Alonso had a fuel pump problem that resulted in him qualifying a lowly 15th with his team-mate Piquet fairing no better and lining up along side him in 16th slot on the grid.
Championship leaders Massa and Hamilton took Pole and 2nd place respectively after the final qualifying session.
The Start
Everyone gets away safely with Massa opening up a slight lead and Hamilton sucessfully holding off a challenge from Raikkonen. Kovalinen drops a couple of spots and Alonso picks up three places to take 12th.
Lap 12
Alonso, starting on a light fuel load, is the first driver to pit and fuels for a long second stint. Off come the super-softs and on with the softs.
Lap 14
Nelson Piquet hits the wall near turn 17 and the safety car is sent out. However, both Red Bulls, who are just 3 seconds behind, drive into the pit lane just before it is closed following Piquet's accident. Barrichelo also makes it to the pits but his race is over.
Laps 15 & 16
Rosberg and Kubica, low on fuel, are forced to pit on laps 15 & 16 respectively. With the pit lane still closed, they will both incur a stop-go penalty for the infringement a few laps later.
Lap 17
With the pit lane open, a total of 10 drivers head into the pits headed by Massa's Ferrari. Ferrari have a nightmare stop caused, in part, by the premature release of Massa by their unique electronic traffic light pit release system.
This sees Massa accelerate out of the pit box with part of the fuel rig still attached. Massa knocks over one of the pit crew in the process. When Massa finally rejoins the race, he has spent over 2 mins in the pits and is way down the field.
Massa will later be further penalized for the unsafe pit release with a drive through penalty, but his race is already ruined and he will finsh the race a lowly 13th.
Laps 27 & 29
Kubica and Rosberg (repectively) serve their penalties for violating the closed pit lane elevating Alonso into the lead.
Lap 49
Alonso is the quickest man on the track now after the second round of stops and is building a nice lead.
Lap 50
Sutil in the Force India goes off in the same place as Piquet earlier and the safety car remerges evaporating Alonso's lead. Rosberg lies 2nd with Hamilton just behind in 3rd.
Lap 57
Raikkonen clips the wall emerging from the chicane at turn 10 and retires.
Lap 61
Alonso wins for Renault, 3 secs ahead of Rosberg with Hamilton making it onto the podium a further 3 secs behind the Williams.
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