Renault has confirmed that it has ended its involvement in criminal proceedings against Nelson Piquet Sr. and Jr. for alleged blackmail, although former team boss Flavio Briatore is expected to push ahead with his own case.
The team and Briatore launched legal action against the Piquets in France before Renault parted company with Briatore and engineering director Pat Symonds and announced that it would not contest the charges of race-fixing in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
Renault's lawyer Ali Malek told the World Motor Sport Council in Paris earlier this week that withdrawing the legal action was part of the company's efforts to bring the scandal to a close.
"We are keen to put this whole affair behind us," he said. "Criminal proceedings were brought in France but these have been withdrawn.
"The criminal proceedings were filed on 11 September, for attempted blackmail and false accusations, and it was filed by Renault F1 and Briatore personally against the Piquets.
"I'm told that French counsel wrote to the public prosecutor last Friday seeking to withdraw the criminal complaint on behalf of Renault F1. It's my understanding that the second complainant, Briatore, has not withdrawn the complaint, but it is our intention to draw the line and to do everything we can to put this sad history behind us."