Renault’s F1 season just gets better and better. Having lost its boss, technical director and much of its dignity following the Nelson Piquet crash scandal, the beleaguered F1 team has now lost its title sponsor, ING, with immediate effect.
ING has issued a statement confirming that its decision has been motivated by the 2008 Singapore GP debacle.
The Dutch insurance conglomerate said that "in light of the verdict of the World Motor Sport Council of 21 September 2009 concerning the events that occurred at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, ING will terminate the contract with Renault Formula 1 with immediate effect".
It is no doubt a blow for the team, even though ING already planned to end its presence in F1 at the end of 2009.
Spanish insurance company Mutua Madrilena has also ended its sponsorship of Renault, citing the race-fixing scandal as a breach of contract. The likely departure of Fernando Alonso to Ferrari at the end of the season would of course have had absolutely no bearing on that particular decision…