Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso turned up for the FIA's World Motor Sport Council hearing into race-fixing allegations that helped him win last year's Singapore Grand Prix. The Spaniard benefited from Renault teammate Nelson Piquet crashing out early in the race, to take his and Renault's first victory of the season.
Although early FIA investigations have not unearthed any suggestion that Alonso was aware of the alleged plot to fix the race, the Spaniard was summoned by the governing body to attend the hearing to shed more light on the affair. Piquet was also on hand for the hearing at the FIA's Place de la Concorde headquarters in Paris. Also present were Renault F1 president Bernard Rey, and the company's head of public relations Jean-Francois Caubet.
Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone told the gathered media that the FIA should acted in a balanced way.
"I think we need to show balance," said Ecclestone. "What they did was very serious. There can be no excuse, but they have acted quickly to get rid of the culprits, and that must be borne in mind."