11/09/2009
NEWS STORY
FIA President Max Mosley has revealed that Nelson Piquet has been offered immunity from prosecution if he tells the truth about what happened over the course of the 2008 Singapore GP weekend.
"He has been told that if he tells us the truth then he will not be proceeded against individually," Mosley told reporters at Monza this morning. similar deal was offered to both McLaren drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso at the height of the spy saga in 2007.
The Englishman, who was eager to make it clear that the accusations are unproven admitted that if found guilt of fixing the result of the race, and thereby bringing the sport into disrepute, the French team could be thrown out of the World Championship.
Asked about the severity of the charges those involved are facing, Mosley described fixing the outcome of a race as "one degree worse than cheating".
"If you're a cyclist and you take dope, that's cheating," he said. "If you bribe the other cyclists, or you get somebody to have a crash in the peloton so the yellow jersey guy crashes, that's more serious. Then if it puts human life at risk, whether it's the spectators, the marshals or the drivers, then it's more serious again."
Asked about a document leaked yesterday and which appears to be the statement made by Piquet to the FIA, Mosley said that it appeared to be authentic.
"I haven't seen anything which I believe to be a forgery," he said, however, he was quick to add: "We are in a situation at the moment where we have heard one side of the story and have investigated to the best of our ability. Now we are waiting for Renault's side of the story, and it is only when we have got both sides, and both of them have been heard, that one can actually reach a conclusion.
"In most places, you assume someone is innocent until they are proven guilty," he added. "And that is the situation we are in at the moment."
At virtually the same time Mosley was sharing his thoughts with the media, Renault and Flavio Briatore announced that they are issuing criminal proceedings against Piquet and his father, accusing the pair of false allegations and blackmail.