Valencia call for re-think over Renault ban

The European Grand Prix organisers have called for a re-think over the suspension placed on Spaniard Fernando Alonso's Renault team for next month's race in Valencia.

Renault were suspended from the next race after a wheel came off Alonso's car and bounced away to the side of the track during the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

"We believe that (while safety is the priority) it is also necessary to think of the fans," Valmor Sport vice-president Jorge Martinez Aspar was quoted as saying in Spanish media on Monday.

"As everyone knows, many of them have bought tickets to see Fernando Alonso race in Valencia. We don't think they should be the ones to pay for this decision.

"It would be a shame if he wasn't in the race and we are confident he could be there, although we recognise it will be difficult after all the other incidents that happened last weekend."

Race stewards ruled that Renault had released Alonso from a pit stop in Budapest knowing that the wheel was not properly secured and then failing to tell the driver.

The incident came a week after 18-year-old Briton Henry Surtees died in a Formula two race at Brands Hatch after being struck by a loose wheel bouncing across the track.

It also followed an incident in qualifying at the Hungaroring on Saturday which left Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa in intensive care with serious head injuries after he was hit on the helmet by debris shed from compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn.

Adrian Campos, boss of new Formula One team Campos Meta, was also quoted as saying the decision was a "disaster" for Valencia.

"If things were already not going well for the Valencia Grand Prix this was just what they were missing," he said.

Renault said they would appeal against the stewards' decision.

The European Grand Prix in Valencia is on Aug. 23.