Symonds: I will 'eternally regret' my actions

Former Renault F1 director of engineering Pat Symonds has said he will 'eternally regret' his part in the ‘crashgate’ race-fixing plot.

Symonds resigned from his post with the team last week after it was revealed that he had been directly involved in the plot to crash Nelson Piquet out of the inaugural night race, in order to assist Fernando Alonso’s strategy.

The former director of engineering did not make an appearance at Monday’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in Paris, where he was served with a five-year ban from motorsport, but he did write a statement.

In his statement, Symonds said he regrets his decision to get involved with the scheme when Piquet suggested the idea.

'The idea for this incident was entirely conceived by Nelson Piquet Jr,' said Symonds.

'It was he who first approached me with the idea. At the time I naively believed that it was something he wanted to do for the good of the team.

'I was not aware of the position of his contract negotiations although with the benefit of hindsight I now consider that he believed that his actions would have a favourable effect on these negotiations.'

'In mitigation I would like to acknowledge my role in this incident.

'I was the one who, when the idea was first suggested to me by Nelson Piquet Jr., should have dismissed it immediately. It is to my eternal regret and shame that I did not do so.

Symonds said that he went through with the plot out of 'misguided devotion' to the team, which he helped start up over 28 years ago with only 19 other people.

'The last thing that I ever wanted to do was to jeopardise that team and the many people to whom I had an overwhelming responsibility,' said Symonds.

'In a single action I have destroyed the high reputation I have built up during a 33 year career in motor sport.

'I am a competitive person who worked in a high pressure environment.

'This can, at times, cloud one's judgement.

'I have always tried to be an honest person, a fact I hope you will give me credit for by witness of my statements to the stewards in Belgium.

'On that night in Singapore last year I made a mistake the consequences of which I could never have imagined at the time.

'For that mistake I can only offer all of you, and all those touched by the action I was involved in, my profound apology.'