The governing motorsport body FIA said on Monday it will appeal a French court ruling to overturn a life ban it imposed on former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore.
The FIA said the decision was reached by its president Jean Todt, the FIA Senate and the federation’s lawyers in the case.
“It was unanimously agreed that an appeal would be prepared,” FIA said in a statement.
The FIA said that Briatore’s ban remains in effect during the appeal process, but that drivers managed by him will obtain a super licence.
The FIA banned Briatore for life from F1 and from managing F1 drivers on September 21, 2009, for ordering Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately crash his car in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to help teammate Fernando Alonso who went on to win the race.
But the French court on January 5 held the evidence on which the FIA based its decision was too weak. It also said that Briatore’s defence lawyers were unable to question witnesses who gave their evidence anonymously.
Briatore and team official Pat Symonds had to leave Renault over the incident while the team escaped with a suspended two-year ban.
Briatore has protested his innocence in the case.
