WMSC slaps lifetime ban on Flavio Briatore

The verdict is out and as can be expected, the World Motor Sport Council wasted little time in banishing deposed Renault Managing Director, Flavio Briatore.

For masterminding the ‘Crash-gate of 2008’, the WMSC banned Briatore indefinitely from the sport, meaning that we probably have seen the last of the stout Italian in any racing league of any format in the world. In addition to his indefinite ban, the WMSC also noted that anyone who does business with Briatore from now on will not be issued a superlicense, which if you’re curious to know is the license needed to participate in Formula One

Meanwhile, the other implicated individual in ‘Crash-gate’, Pat Symonds – the ex-Renault executive director of engineering – received a ‘shorter’ 5-year ban, thanks in large part to his admittance that he did play a part in the race-fix of Singapore.

In a world where sketchy characters seem to be the rule rather than the exception, we still find it unfathomable how Flavio Briatore can stoop to that level of indignity just so his team can win a race – even at the expense of the safety of all the drivers who raced in Singapore last year.

That being said, a lifetime ban seems reasonably justified.

WMSC’s official statement after the jump.