Flavio Briatore, former boss of the Renault Formula One team, had a life ban imposed by the sport's governing body overturned by a French court on Tuesday.
The Italian was banned by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in September for his role in a plot to rig the outcome of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
"The court ruled the sanction was illegal," the judge told the Paris court. Briatore was awarded 15,000 euros ($21,680) in compensation.
The FIA's legal team said it would probably be launching an appeal.
Brazilian Nelson Piquet blew the lid off one of Formula One's biggest scandals after being dropped by Renault in July when he told the FIA that he had been ordered to crash deliberately at the 2008 race in Singapore.
He said he had done so to bring out the safety car and help his Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso win the race.
Former champions Renault were handed a suspended permanent ban while engineering head Pat Symonds was banned for five years.
Briatore launched his legal case in October, claiming his right to a free and fair defence to the charges was flouted.
New Renault team chief
Meanwhile, Renault today named unsung Frenchman Eric Boullier to lead the Formula One team into a new era after the race-fixing controversy that led to Flavio Briatore's departure last year.
The 36-year-old has no Formula One experience and will be one of the youngest principals in a paddock due to be expanded to 13 teams.
However he managed the DAMS team in the junior GP2 series as well as running the French entry in the troubled A1 GP championship.
Boullier is also chief executive of Gravity Sport Management, owned by Luxembourg-based fund Genii capital. Genii chairman Gerard Lopez last month agreed to take a large stake in the former world champions.
"In the past Renault has demonstrated that it is one of the top teams in Formula One and I am sure that with hard work and determination we can challenge at the front once again," Boullier said in a statement.
He added that he would concentrate on the sporting and performance aspects of the team, with Bob Bell -- who acted as stand-in principal after Briatore left -- overseeing the design office and technical development of the 2010 car.
"We have already had a lot of discussions and we think in the same way. I think that we will work well together," added the Frenchman.
FRESH BLOOD
Boullier said his youth would not be any handicap, pointing out that Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was the same age.
"The team wanted some fresh blood and to open a new chapter," he said.
"F1 is made of cycles and the shape of tomorrow's sport is being defined now with a new generation beginning to fill the paddock little-by-little. Ferrari and McLaren have, among others, followed this evolution."
Boullier said his primary mission was to put the team back on track after the upheaval of 2009, with Renault handed a suspended permanent ban last year for ordering Brazilian Nelson Piquet to crash deliberately in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to help team mate Fernando Alonso win.
"One of my priorities will be to put in place an organisation that flows and is efficient in order for (the factory at) Enstone to work in harmony," said Boullier.
"Then, for the performance, we must put in place an improved feedback process. It won't happen in two months, we know that, but it will need to be progressive and solid."
Renault have Poland's Robert Kubica signed up for the coming season but have yet to name his team mate.
"The second driver will have to be able to score points and challenge Robert Kubica," said Boullier.
"It might be a Gravity driver or not, but I can guarantee that it will be even more difficult for a Gravity driver to be selected as they really will have to prove their worth to be chosen as Renault's second driver."