Piquet senior raised concerns last year - report

Formula One's governing body was made aware last year of allegations that Renault had fixed the Singapore Grand Prix by ordering Brazilian Nelson Piquet to crash, a British newspaper reported yesterday.

The Daily Mirror quoted the driver's father and namesake, also a triple world champion, telling investigators that he had spoken informally to FIA race director Charlie Whiting at the season-ending Brazilian race in November.

Piquet and Whiting worked together at the Brabham team in the 1980s.

"When this thing happened in Singapore I couldn't believe it," the Brazilian declared in excerpts from an interview that the paper said was conducted by private investigators Quest in London on August 17.

"Anyway, in Brazil I talk to Charlie," he continued.

"I got him and said 'Look what could happen to Nelson if I bring this up? And I was afraid to screw up the career of Nelson."

Piquet added later: "In the race in Brazil I called Charlie and I told the whole story to Charlie."

The FIA began investigating the allegations after Piquet junior was dismissed by Renault and then made a statement to the FIA alleging he had been ordered to crash to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win.