Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore has won his court action in France against the FIA over his indefinite ban from involvement in motor racing. Briatore was banned from Formula 1 for life after being found guilty of race-fixing charges.
The flamboyant Italian was told on Tuesday by the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris that his case had been successful. French media quoted the decision as saying that the FIA's decision of Sept. 21 had been "irregular."
"The court ruled the sanction was illegal," the judge told the Paris court. Briatore was awarded 15,000 euros ($22,000) in compensation.
Briatore said before he started legal action that he had been the victim of a personal vendetta. "In this case, the FIA has been used as a tool to exact vengeance on behalf of one man," he said. "This decision is a legal absurdity and I have every confidence that the French courts will resolve the matter justly and impartially." Apparently, he was right....