Sunday, July 26, 2009

Renault suspended from next race

Fernando Alonso

Alonso loses his front wheel (UK users only)

Renault have been suspended from the next Grand Prix in Valencia after a wheel from Fernando Alonso's car came loose at the Hungaroring on Sunday.

The pit crew failed to attach Alonso's right front wheel correctly and it bounced across the track.

Race stewards ruled that Renault released Alonso from a pit stop knowing the wheel was not properly secured and then failed to tell the driver.

Renault have told the FIA, motorsport's governing body, that they will appeal.

Should it stand, the ban would apply to the whole team and would deny Alonso the chance to race in front of his home fans at the European Grand Prix on 23 August.

Having started on pole, the Spanish double world champion was leading the Hungarian Grand Prix when he came in for his first stop on lap 11.

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However, he was released before the right front wheel had been fully attached and it worked its way loose on turn nine, bouncing alarmingly across the track.

The stewards said Renault's pit crew "knowingly released car number seven from the pit stop position without one of the retaining devices for the wheel-nuts being securely in position, this being an indication that the wheel itself may not have been properly secured."

They also determined that "being aware of this, Renault failed to take any action to prevent the car from leaving the pit lane... and failed to inform the driver of this problem or to advise him to take appropriate action given the circumstances, even though the driver contacted the team by radio believing he had a puncture."

The incident came amid heightened concern about safety in motorsport.

A week ago, 18-year-old Formula 2 driver Henry Surtees - the son of former F1 champion John Surtees - was killed when he was struck by a loose wheel during a race.

On Saturday, Ferrari driver Felipe Massa suffered a fractured skull when he was hit by a part which came off the Brawn GP car of Rubens Barrichello during qualifying at the Hungaroring.


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