• Crashgate fallout

Briatore hits back in tit-for-tat sniping war

ESPNF1 Staff
December 18, 2009 « Berger denies link to Renault job | »
Flavio Briatore: accused Max Mosley of ' provocative attacks' © Getty Images
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The tit-for-tat sniping match between Flavio Braitore and former FIA president Max Mosley rumbles on, with the disgraced former Renault boss taking another swipe in the light of Mosley's comments on Thursday.

Briatore, who is in the process of appealing an indefinite ban from motorsport following his involvement in the Crashgate scandal, hit out after a statement from Mosley which accused him of attempting to "distract attention from his key role in one of the worst and most dangerous examples of cheating in the history of sport".

While not replying to many of the specific attacks made by Mosley, Briatore accused him of being "eager to regain media coverage by making provocative attacks against myself, amongst others".

He continued: "It is quite intriguing to hear that Mr Mosley would now pretend that the FIA rendered a fair decision against me at the end of a process of fair justice. This is certainly not the position that the current leadership of the FIA expressed before the French Civil Courts, where everyone could hear Counsel for FIA stating that the World Council took only a decision of an 'administrative nature', did not issue any ruling against myself and was thus actually not bound to comply with any standards of civilised justice.

"I would also have been glad to hear Mr Mosley explain that he expressed to me over the phone on September 19, that my presence at the hearing of the World Council of September 21 was neither necessary nor desirable, in the context of a difficult session for Renault, while since such hearing may, in any event, not result into any decision against myself."

That the pair are indulging in a war of words through the media, using press statements to update their positions, will not do the sport's image any good. However, until the hearing decision is announced in early January it seems unlikely the squabbling will go away.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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