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via gpfans.comFormer F1 team owner sent for trial on forgery chargesGerard Lopez, the former owner of the Renault F1 team, is facing trial in Luxembourg for forgery charges related to his ownership period. The allegations stem from a €2 million transfer between his Lotus F1 team and the local football club Fola Esch, which he also presided over. The prosecution claims that certain documents associated with this transaction were forged, raising suspicions of potential money laundering activities involving the funds.
The trial is scheduled to commence at the end of 2026, with Lopez and his business partner Eric Lux among the defendants. They, along with officials from Fola Esch, are accused of misappropriating funds intended for a youth development program. The case has already seen an appeal to dismiss it rejected, and if convicted, Lopez could face a prison sentence ranging from three months to five years.
Thu 17 Sep · 17:45 UTCWikimedia Commons · Joop van Bilsen · CC0ICA Statement regarding ICA Case ICA-2026-06-07-08-09Sport news The FIA Courts are aware of public comments questioning the independence and impartiality of the judges of the panel that decided Case ICA-2026-06-07-08-09. The FIA Courts wish to make clear that the appointment and participation of the judges in that case, like for any other case, were conducted in accordance with the applicable FIA judicial procedures and usual practice, which are inspired by the highest standards like the IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration. All judges are elected by the FIA General Assemblies, some of them upon proposition of a group of at least five F1 teams in accordance with the FIA Statutes. They are all subject to the independence and confidentiality requirements contained in the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, make annual disclosures of interests to the FIA Compliance Officer, and sign a specific declaration of independence for each particular case in consideration of the issue at stake and the parties involved, which is served to the parties. At both the beginning and conclusion of the hearing, the parties were invited to raise any issue concerning the proceedings or the composition of the Court. None did so. No objection was raised during the hearing concerning the manner in which the Court questioned the witness or conducted the proceedings. The ICA emphasizes the importance of constituting panels with judges from different cultural and geographical backgrounds. This helps ensure that the deliberations and discussions reflect a diversity of legal traditions, perspectives and approaches, further strengthening the fairness, independence, credibility of the process and access to a fair trial. A Court’s decision can leave room for various interpretations and comments as for its legal merits; that is fair and accepted by all the judges. The Court is confident in the soundness of the proceedings and the integrity of the judges. The FIA Courts remain committed to the independence and impartiality of their judges and to the integrity of the judicial process. Laurent Anselmi (President of the ICA and of the FIA Judges Congress), Rui Botica Santos (President of the IT and Vice-President of the Judges Congress), Waltraud Wünsch (Vice-President of the ICA) and Gérard Martin (Vice-President of the IT). FIA Formula One World Championship Formula 1 International Court of Appeal SEASON 2026 Sport Circuit 1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitInternational Court of AppealSEASON 2026Formula 100 Saturday, September 5, 2026 - 10:53am Saturday, September 5, 2026 - 10:53am
