Nelson Piquet Jr has accused Flavio Briatore of driving him to his lowest ebb during his period with Renault, reports Owen Gibsonin Paris

NELSON PIQUET Jr has launched a savage attack on Flavio Briatore after the former Renault team principal was effectively banned from motor sport for life for ordering him to crash in last year’s Singapore grand prix.

Piquet, who blew the lid on the affair in July when he alleged Briatore had ordered him to crash into a wall on lap 14 of the race to hand an advantage to his team-mate Fernando Alonso, said in a statement after yesterday’s hearing in Paris that Briatore had driven him to his lowest ebb.

“Mr Briatore was my manager as well as the team boss, he had my future in his hands but he cared nothing for it,” said Piquet. “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.”

After Piquet had been sacked by Renault and gone to the FIA with his allegations, Briatore bullishly denied the claims and threatened to sue. The 59-year-old Italian, believed to be on holiday, said the Brazilian driver’s claims were “outrageous”.

Speaking at length for the first time about his motivation for following the orders of Briatore and Pat Symonds, Piquet said: “I bitterly regret my actions. I wish every day that I had not done it.”

The driver, who said he wanted to return to Formula One, was unrelenting in his criticism of Briatore, whose 21-year career in the sport appears to be at an end.

“All I can tell you is that my situation at Renault turned into a nightmare. Having dreamed of being a Formula One driver and having worked so hard to get there, I found myself at the mercy of Mr Briatore,” he said.

“His true character, which had previously only been known to those he had treated like this in the past, is now known.”

The 24-year-old, who has never disguised his disgust for Briatore – not since his sacking in early August when he described the former Renault team principal as his “executioner” – pulled no punches.

“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 I was simply being used by him then to be discarded and left to ridicule.”

Piquet Jr, who has grounds to extricate himself from the contract he has with Briatore, appreciates forgiveness from the F1 community will not be easily forthcoming, but is hoping to be granted another chance to prove his worth in F1.

“I have had to learn some very difficult lessons over the last 12 months and reconsider what is valuable in life,” added Piquet.

“What has not changed is my love for Formula One and hunger to race again. I realise I have to start my career from zero.

“I can only hope 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 there will be no driver in Formula One 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 One – 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.”

Although unable to take action against Briatore personally after he parted company with Renault last week, the 26 members of World Motor Sport Council said it would not sanction any event involving him “in any capacity whatsoever”.

It also said it would refuse to renew licences to any driver associated with Briatore in any capacity, meaning all of those managed by him will have to extricate themselves from their contracts.

The Italian, who did not attend the hearing, is the manager of Piquet and Alonso as well as Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber, Renault’s Romain Grosjean and McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen.

“I am relieved the FIA investigation has now been concluded,” Piquet said.

“Those now running the Renault F1 team took the decision, as I did, that it is better the truth be known and accept the consequences.

“The most positive thing to come from bringing this to the attention of the FIA is nothing like it will ever happen again.

“I bitterly regret my actions to follow the orders I was given. I wish every day 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.”

The decision also calls into question Briatore’s joint ownership of the English Championship football side Queens Park Rangers because the Football League’s rules ban those who have been disqualified by another sporting body under its fit and proper persons test.

A Football League spokesman last night confirmed they were looking into the ruling.

Guardian Service