Crashgate: The Controversy that Shocked the Formula 1 world

Posted on September 24, 2022 | by Lydia Angel-Fox

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With the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix just around the corner, it is about time we talk about "Crashgate." While the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix can be considered an eventful race on its own merit, it is the deliberate cheating scandal that cemented the race in Formula 1's history books.

I'll start by introducing the important characters to the story. Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso had moved back to Renault after a year-long hiatus with McLaren where he finished the season tied in points with his rookie teammate, Lewis Hamilton. At Renault, Alonso was partnered by Nelson Piquet Jr., the son of former three-time F1 World Champion, Nelson Piquet. A rather notorious Flavio Briatore was the team's directing manager, and Pat Symonds was the executive director of engineering.

Despite winning two World Championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006, Alonso's second stint with the team was less than stellar. Renault as a constructor had not won a race in almost two years and Alonso was nowhere near a championship contender that season. A win was much needed for the team and the driver.

During the warm-up lap of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Nelson Piquet Jr. spun his car at the 17th turn but managed to recover and avoid damage. Despite a promising weekend, both Renault drivers qualified low on the grid, in 15th and 16th respectively.

On lap 12, Alonso pitted for fuel and new tires. Running an odd strategy, Alonso had taken on a light fuel load at the start of the race in an effort to pass cars, but he then necessitated an early pitstop. Alonso then returned to the track at the back of the grid. Three laps later, Piquet Jr. crashed into the wall at Turn 17, coincidentally the same place he had spun on the warm-up lap, and at one of the turns that did not have a crane, which then caused the deployment of a safety car.

Under the 2008 regulations, the pit lane was closed under a safety car until all cars had bunched up, which removed any advantage the leading cars might have built. Leading cars that pitted under the safety car would have to rejoin the race at the back of the field. Drivers that were low on fuel pitted anyways, while the pit lane was closed, and took penalties as a result.

Alonso, who had pitted before the safety car, gained a massive advantage and went on to win the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix after starting near the back of the grid. Felipe Massa, the original race leader pitted under the safety car once the pit lane was open, but Ferrari mechanics accidentally released Massa too early, which caused him to drag his fuel hose the length of the pit lane. Ferrari mechanics ran to the end of the pit lane to detach the fuel hose, and Massa rejoined the race in last place. Shortly after, Massa was ordered to serve a 10-second drive-thru penalty, which he completed, once again rejoining at the back of the field. David Coulthard nearly suffered the same fate with his fuel hose a few laps later. 46 laps into the race, Massa spun at Turn 18, lightly tapping the wall without suffering much damage but his fate was sealed and he would finish the race in 13th place. Finally, with four laps remaining, Massa's teammate at Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen bounced off the kurb at the Turn 10 chicane and crashed into the wall. With this disappointing result, McLaren overtook Ferrari in the Constructor's Championship standings, but more importantly, Renault achieved their first win since 2006.

The 2008 season would finish with Lewis Hamilton winning his first of seven World Championship titles, Fernando Alonso finishing down in fifth, and Nelson Piquet Jr. in twelfth. Despite rumours that Piquet Jr. would be leaving the team, Renault resigned him on a one-year contract for the 2009 season. However, 10 races into the season, Piquet Jr. had failed to score a single point, and Renault fired him in August of 2009.

On August 30th, 2009, a Brazilian radio stationed reported that Piquet Jr. had been ordered by Flavio Briatore to crash during the Singapore Grand Prix. The FIA immediately began investigating the claim and on Sept. 4th, Renault was accused of conspiring with Piquet Jr. to purposely cause a collision that would advantage his teammate, Fernando Alonso. On the 10th of Sept., Piquet Jr.'s statements to the FIA were leaked, and it was confirmed that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds had ordered Piquet Jr. to crash his car at Turn 17 where there was known to be no crane. While Piquet Jr. questioned Fernando Alonso's lack of knowledge about the planned crash, Alonso maintained his innocence and was absolved of any involvement by the FIA.

On Sept. 11th, Renault announced that it intended to take legal action against Nelson Piquet and Nelson Piquet Jr. for making false allegations and attempting to blackmail the team. It was also reported that Pat Symonds would receive immunity from the FIA if he testified about the alleged conspiracy. However, on Sept. 16th, Renault announced that it would not be contesting the charges brought by the FIA, and Briatore and Symonds resigned from the team.

At the Sept. 21st World Motorsports Council, Renault received a disqualification, suspended for two years, which meant that if a similar incident occurred before 2011, the team would be banned from the sport. Flavio Briatore was suspended indefinitely from FIA sanctioned events, although his suspension has now been revoked, and Pat Symonds was suspended for five years. In an interesting turn of events, or not perhaps, Flavio Briatore is now the manager for Fernando Alonso, and likely the man behind Alonso's swift departure from Alpine during the 2022 Formula 1 silly season.

The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix will live on in Formula 1 memory as "Crashgate," and it remains the largest scandal in the sports history since the 2007 "Spygate" incident. Let's see what the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix has in store for us next week.