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Ihm musste klar sein, das die Gegenpartei über jedes Detail des getürkten Rennens in Singapur Bescheid wusste. Und er kennt den alten Piquet. Der lässt sich nicht so einfach über den Tisch ziehen wie die Geschäftspartner, mit denen Briatore sonst zu tun hat.

Inevitably there is a lot of speculation about whether the pair quit or were fired. Ross Brawn said yesterday, “Flavio told me he had done this to save the team. He’s done the right thing.”

Prodrive boss David Richards has emerged as a candidate to take over from Flavio Briatore as head of the Renault team.

Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche has denied that his company plans to split with the McLaren Formula One team, but has admitted that the current deal could change in the light of changing F1 rules.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali says teams are currently discussing whether or not to initiate a second period of ‘engine equalisation’ at the end of the season.

Jenson Button is set to sign an improved multi-million pound deal to stay at Brawn in the 2010 season. But team-mate Rubens Barrichello is to get the boot even if he emerges victorious from their two-way title scrap.

The sordid tale of Singapore 2008 has no place in F1. It is a tale of miserable cynical people, people with no souls. Where is the passion in doing such things? Where is the joy? Where is the pride? Where is the honour? It was all just to keep them on the Renault gravy train. To keep their jobs when they did not deserve to be kept.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the Manor Grand Prix entry that was granted in the summer will transform in the weeks ahead into a team called Virgin F1.

More details are now emerging about the new Malaysian Formula 1 team with the news that the major players are to be Tony Fernandes, the chief executive of AirAsia, Kamaruddin Bin Meranun his deputy and businessman SM Nasarudin.