Mosley praises Renault's response

The team was given a suspended ban by the World Motor Sport Council, while its former bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds were banned from involvement in international motorsport for an indefinite period and five years respectively.

In the days prior to the hearing, Renault had parted company with Briatore and Symonds, and announced that it would not contest the allegations that Nelson Piquet had been ordered to crash deliberately in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix in order to cause a safety car that would benefit his team-mate Fernando Alonso. Renault also agreed to pay the costs of the FIA's investigation and to contribute to the governing body's safety programmes.

Mosley said he was satisfied that the rest of the Renault management had no involvement in the plot, and that he could not fault the way the company reacted when confronted with evidence of what had happened.

"It took them completely by surprise," he told the Evening Standard newspaper.

"When we sent Renault the dossier of evidence they made no attempt to cover up. They immediately instituted an internal investigation headed by a top lawyer.

"What they did was impeccable."

He also confirmed that Formula 1 commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone had voted against Briatore's ban in the hearing. Ecclestone has since described the Italian's punishment as 'too harsh'.

"The council did not vote unanimously," said Mosley. "All 26 members were not there, the figure was 20, and there were proxies.

"A substantial majority were in favour of punishing Briatore but Bernie was in a minority."