Piquet refuses to cow down

Brazilian Nelson Piquet said he was telling the truth and would not be bullied after his former Renault Formula One team accused him and his father of attempted blackmail in a race-fixing controversy.

Brazilian Nelson Piquet said he was telling the truth and would not be bullied after his former Renault Formula One team accused him and his father of attempted blackmail in a race-fixing controversy.

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Piquet issued a defiant statement after the French manufacturer and team principal Flavio Briatore announced criminal proceedings in France against the pair.

The team have been charged by the sport's governing body of fixing last year's Singapore Grand Prix by ordering Piquet to stage a deliberate crash that helped team mate Fernando Alonso win the race.

If found guilty, Renault could be kicked out of the championship. “I confirm that I have co-operated fully and honestly with the sport's governing body,” the 24-year-old driver, whose father and namesake was a triple Formula One champion, said in his defence.

"Because I am telling the truth I have nothing to fear, whether from the ING Renault Team or Mr Briatore, and whilst I am well aware of the power and influence of those being investigated, and the vast resources at their disposal, I will not be bullied again into making a decision I regret."

Renault said the father and son had made "false allegations and a related attempt to blackmail the team into allowing Mr Piquet Jnr to drive for the remainder of the 2009 season".

The team, whose main factory is in England, said the matter would also be referred to police in Britain.