Nelson Piquet has apologised for his role in the race-fix scandal that has engulfed Formula One - and said he does not expect forgiveness for his involvement.
In a statement issued shortly after it was announced that Renault had been given a two-year suspended ban from the sport, Piquet said he has happy the matter had now been brought to an end.
"I am relieved that the FIA investigation has now been concluded," he said. "Those now running the Renault F1 Team took the decision, as I did, that it is better that the truth be known and accept the consequences. The most positive thing to come from bringing this to the attention of the FIA is that nothing like it will ever happen again.
"I bitterly regret my actions to follow the orders I was given. I wish every day that I had not done it. I don't know how far my explanation will go to making people understand because for many being a racing driver is an amazing privilege, as it was for me. All I can tell you is that my situation at Renault turned into a nightmare.
"Having dreamed of being a Formula 1 driver and having worked so hard to get there, I found myself at the mercy of Mr Briatore. His true character, which had previously only been known to those he had treated like this in the past, is now known."
Piquet added that his time working with Briatore had been the worst period of his life.
"Mr Briatore was my manager as well as the team boss, he had my future in his hands but he cared nothing for it. By the time of the Singapore GP he had isolated me and driven me to the lowest point I had ever reached in my life. Now that I am out of that situation I cannot believe that I agreed to the plan, but when it was put to me I felt that I was in no position to refuse.
"Listening now to Mr Briatore's reaction to my crash and hearing the comments he has made to the press over the last two weeks it is clear to me that I was simply being used by him then to be discarded and left to ridicule."
Piquet added that he hopes to race in F1 again.
"I have had to learn some very difficult lessons over the last 12 months and reconsider what is valuable in life," he said. "What has not changed is my love for Formula 1 and hunger to race again. I realise that I have to start my career from zero.
"I can only hope that a team will recognise how badly I was stifled at Renault and give me an opportunity to show what I promised in my career in F3 and GP2. What can be assured is that there will be no driver in Formula 1 as determined as me to prove myself.
"As my final words on this matter, I would like to repeat that I am so sorry to those who work in Formula 1 (including the many good people at Renault) the fans and the governing body. I do not expect this to be forgiven or forgotten but at least now people can draw their conclusions based upon what really happened."
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Re: F1 driver Piquet says sorry
Well, according to Renault's whistle-blower, Witness X, it was Nelson Piquet's suggestion. The FIA (or their legal reprsentative) interviewed Witness X and were satisfied what they said was in order and that Witness X was not a co-conspirator.
Curiously, when it came to examining the roles in this, Witness X's testimony was ignored when it came to Nelson Piquet and his immunity, even though he appeared to have lied, three times, with the benefit of that immunity.
Witness X's testimony was used to good effect though when it came to hanging Flavio Briatore, though he did a fair bit to hang himself. That said, his letter to Nelson piquet Snr was at least true, in part.
Re: F1 driver Piquet says sorry
Who is the dope here? The argument that management fear would have stopped Piquet from blowing the whistle on this episode is risible. Do you honestly think that someone like Piquet would feel constrained by such mundane considerations? The consequences of him NOT having done so are as clear now as they should have been to him, his dad, his confidants or anyone else who had bothered to give the matter more than thirty seconds’ thought at the time. There was absolutely nothing to stop Piquet going straight to Ghosn, in confidence if he was that worried about his future. The racing team ‘autonomy’ argument is just as laughable. Like others on this thread I’ve got some motor industry experience. The idea that Ghosn would not have wanted to know about such potentially damaging jiggery-pokery in his own team is ludicrous. Manufacturer F1 teams and managers come and go, but one thing is constant, and that is the fact that they are bankrolled by the parent company. Car companies are in F1 to promote car sales. They also have critically important relations with many tiers of blue-chip sponsors. They’ve all got global reputations to maintain. Say what you like about top level car management, but at the Ghosn level ignorance is even less of a defence than it is for the rest of us. And he knows that better than we do. This is probably all irrelevant anyway because the underlying truth for why Piquet didn’t do what anyone with half a brain should have done can be found in today’s quote (on the BBC website) from Symonds. He says: ‘I was the one who, when the idea was first suggested to me by Nelson Piquet Jr, should have dismissed it immediately.’ So, he’s saying it was all Piquet’s idea. That would certainly make it difficult for Piquet to blow the whistle. Ultimately it all boils down to who you believe – a difficult call as they’re clearly all massively flawed individuals.
Re: F1 driver Piquet says sorry
fair points tbh with you! Briatore's ego is so large and his arrogance is so sky high that he probably didnt even think about the chance of getting caught...