“The Spanish newspaper AS is carrying photos of the white and yellow trucks being parked behind the pits of the nearby Ricardo Tormo permanent circuit, while the urban layout about a half-hour's drive away is completed,” reported the GMM news agency earlier today.
It seems Renault are the very first team to carry all of their belongings to Valencia, almost 2 weeks before the official start of the European Grand Prix. Some may think of it as a bit odd, considering that Renault are currently the only teams in the F1 paddock suspended from the aforementioned race.
Shortly after the Hungarian Grand Prix 3 weekends ago, Renault received a one-race ban from the FIA as a result of a wheel coming off Fernando Alonso's car during the race. The ruling body then argued that the Renault mechanics had willingly let Alonso walk out of the pit lane with his front right-hand tire not properly fit and handed the Enstone based team the necessary ban.
Flavio Briatore's team soon lodged an appeal to the FIA, that is to be judged by the International Court of Appeal on August 17. The decision, as confirmed by the FIA, will be announced the very next day, in the afternoon.
Although the appeal is yet to be judged, there are a number of reasons why the Renault fans should be optimistic of a positive response. First of all, the Spanish fans have bought thousands of tickets to see their favorite driver Fernando Alonso to play, and secondly, the Valencia organizers have publicly asked the FIA to overturn the initial ban.
Also, it is believed the one-race ban was more like a result of the latest incidents in the motor sport world – Henry Surtees' death, Felipe Massa's crash – and was handed to Renault as a warning so that similar accidents will not happen in the future.
Google News