Briatore clarifies remarks regarding Alonso penalty

10/09/2006
NEWS STORY

In the wake of media reports of certain remarks made by Renault boss Flavio Briatore while commenting on the penalty applied to Fernando Alonso following yesterday's qualifying session, the Italian has made the following clarification:

"These comments which have been attributed to me in the press today have been completely taken out of context," he commented. "A jokey remark has been turned into something it was not intended to be. I have every confidence in the governance of our sport and look forward to our team fighting and winning the Formula One World Championship this season."

In numerous interviews Briatore was clearly unhappy with the penalty, and at one stage compared the situation to the recent scandal to hit Italian football. This led to reports that the FIA might seek to charge the Italian with bringing the sport into disrepute.

The fact is however, that many, within the paddock, in the grandstands and on internet forums feel that Alonso's penalty was overly harsh, if not downright wrong, and that the World Championship has been compromised.

The Spaniard's five spot grid penalty comes on the back of the mass damper saga, and the fiasco at Hungary when he and title rival Michael Schumacher were penalised in separate incidents.

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Published: 10/09/2006
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