Renault F1 came into existence with the manufacturer's re-entrance into Formula One in 2000, by purchasing the Benetton Formula One team. Flavio Briatore, managing director of Benetton until 1997, returned to the team following the Renault takeover. Spanish racing driver Fernando Alonso drove for the team from 2002 to 2006, becoming World Champion in 2005 and 2006, and returning in 2008. English engineer Pat Symonds had risen to his position as executive director of engineering having worked for Benetton and its predecessor Toleman Motosport. Nelson Piquet Jr., son of three-time Formula One World Champion Nelson Piquet, joined Renault F1 as the second driver alongside Alonso for the 2008 season.
The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was the fifteenth race of the 2008 Formula One season, and Formula One's first night race. Renault had a poor qualifying session, with Fernando Alonso starting in fifteenth place and Nelson Piquet Jr. alongside him in 16th. Alonso was eliminated during qualifying because of mechanical failure. During the warm-up lap, Piquet Jr. spun at the corner where he would later crash, but continued. Alonso was the first driver to pit on lap 12, rejoining at the back of the field with a light fuel load. Three laps later, Piquet Jr. hit the circuit wall at turn seventeen, requiring the deployment of the safety car.
Safety car regulations in 2008 meant the pit lane was closed until all cars were bunched up behind the safety car. Drivers who pitted while the pit lane was closed were penalised for the infraction. Alonso, having pitted just before the safety car, gained a significant advantage, and went on to win the race. Alonso described the win as a "brilliant tactical drive", attributing his success to luck with the safety car. No action was initially taken over the crash, and Piquet Jr. maintained it was a mistake.
After being dropped by Renault following the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, Piquet Jr. alleged that he had been asked by the team to deliberately crash to improve the race situation for Alonso, sparking an investigation by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Renault F1 were charged with conspiracy on 4 September, and were to answer the charge on 21 September 2009. Renault stated that they would not contest the charges, and announced that managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds had left the team.
On 21 September, the Renault F1 team was disqualified from Formula One for two years, suspended pending further rule infringements. Briatore was banned indefinitely from all FIA-sanctioned events, whilst Symonds received a five-year ban. These bans were subsequently overturned by a French court, but both agreed not to work in Formula One or FIA-sanctioned events for a specified time as part of a settlement with the governing body. Briatore would ultimately return to F1 in 2022 as an ambassador, and to Team Enstone in 2024 as an advisor, and in 2025 as team principal, while Symonds would return to the sport in 2011 as a technical consultant for Virgin Racing.
Following the scandal, Renault F1's sponsors ING and Mutua Madrileña ended their sponsorship agreements early. Piquet Jr. later competed in NASCAR and Formula E, becoming Formula E's inaugural champion. Alonso continued racing with Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine and Aston Martin. Symonds served as chief technical officer for Williams and Formula One before joining Andretti Cadillac F1. Briatore returned to Formula One as an ambassador in 2022, and later to Team Enstone. In 2023, it was reported that Bernie Ecclestone had revealed that he and Max Mosley were aware of the incident during the 2008 season, and Felipe Massa has begun investigating whether he could take legal action to dispute the outcome of the 2008 world championship.