The final straw

And this may just be the straw that breaks the camel's back, for, if true, it would be the second time in one season that a team had been found to have collectively conspired to cheat.

The first time might have been dismissed as an exception, but the second time ? together with those scandals listed above ? could swing perceptions the other way.

Let me state unequivocally that I believe Renault to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

However, regardless of its innocence or otherwise, the mere fact that the FIA is investigating allegations of impropriety against Renault has cast a dark cloud over the team?s integrity and therefore its image, the sport?s integrity and therefore its image and, should the allegations be found to be true, the team and ultimately the sport's future.

Should these allegations prove to be true, it would imply a conspiracy to cheat of such massive proportions that it could cost the careers of any number of people, including some high profile ones.

If young Piquet did crash on cue in Singapore, it would implicate not only him, but also whoever gave the order and those in the hierarchy who knew about the plan. Did Fernando Alonso know about it? If so, he and his side of the garage would be implicated too, as well as those in the hierarchy who knew about the plan. Potentially, the likes of Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds could be implicated as well.

It goes further.

People will ask: how many other results have been manipulated? Just in this season Jenson Button's 'sudden' loss of form and regular backmarker Force India's 'sudden' improvement would be very difficult to explain to those who will, after this episode, find it easier to believe some puppeteer is pulling the strings behind the scene.

Should these allegations prove to be true, we who know that such occurrences represent only the bad apples that must be removed from the bag will be left facing the same dismissive sniggers when our sport is being discussed as cycling fans have had to endure for a few years now.

But where they are witnessing their sport slowly but systematically being cleaned up, Formula One continues to shoot itself in the foot.

F1 might include some of the best brains on the planet, but some of them appear not to have learned that if you cheat you?re likely to get caught.

What really angers me is that their stupidity can destroy my sport in the process.

So please, let this be just a storm in a tea cup.