Renault Gets to Race in Valencia After all

Formula One will be returning to Valencia for the 2009 European Grand Prix this weekend after successfully hosting the 2008 European Grand Prix. This year track safety officials have made a few changes to conditions on this street circuit after consultations with the racers and the FIA.

Nelson Piquet has been dropped by Renault

This year they have changed the pit exit by leveling it to the same height as the track which should make getting onto the track easier and less hazardous. They have also extended the curbs on the apex of Turns 4 and 5, which will give the drivers more room to make it around each turn. In addition, the trackside walls of Turns 3, 5, 9, 10, and 14 have been moved further back from the circuit. Minor safety changes include the installation of high-grip resin to seal the inner pit lane while they added artificial grass behind the curbs of the exits of Turns 10 and 14.

It appears that Renault will be fielding a team and cars for the European Grand Prix after all, after an FIA International Court of Appeal overturned the suspension they received in Hungary. The court decided the penalty imposed was a bit too severe considering the circumstances surrounding the event and instead imposed a reprimand and US$50,000 penalty for Alonso’s tire infraction.

Renault welcomed the decision as a balanced one that teaches them a lesson, yet doesn’t penalize the team unfairly. They admit they were at fault, just not to the level or necessarily in the way interpreted, and now look forward to preparing for Valencia.

The first thing they did to prepare was announce that Nelson Piquet has been dropped for the race in Valencia and instead Renault test driver and GP2 star Roman Grosjean will take his place beside Fernando Alonso. This certainly wasn’t a surprise after Nelson Piquet had publicly announced he had parted ways with the team earlier this month.

Nelson’s departure gives Roman a chance to show what he can really do behind the wheel of the R29 and learn how to drive from a double world champion. If this doesn’t motivate you to be your best then nothing will.

This 23 year old Frenchman signed up with Renault’s driver development program in 2006, after winning the French Formula Renault title. He was the Formula Three Euro Series champion in 2007 and in 2008 he won the GP2 Asia Series. This year, Roman has been competing in GP2 and had currently won two races before being called to make his appearance in “The Show”.

“Image: Zuma Press”