Renault fire F1 driver which triggers infamous Crashgate scandal

On August 3, 2009, Renault terminated their contract with driver Nelson Piquet Jr., which set off a chain of events leading to the Crashgate scandal. Piquet Jr. had a disappointing performance with the team, scoring only 19 points in 2008 and none in the first ten races of 2009, prompting Renault to make the decision to let him go.

Following his dismissal, Piquet Jr. publicly criticized team boss Flavio Briatore and accused him of intimidation. He later alleged that he was instructed to deliberately crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to benefit teammate Fernando Alonso's race strategy. This claim led to an FIA investigation, resulting in significant penalties for Renault and Briatore, while Piquet Jr. received immunity for his testimony.