Former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore will have to wait until after the Christmas New Year festivities before he finds out whether or not his lifetime ban from the world of Formula One will stand or if he will be allowed to continue his business as a driver manager.

Briatore made claims to the High Court in Paris on Tuesday that the FIA had made an illegal ruling against him in regard to race fixing allegations made by former driver Nelson Piquet junior in the 2008 Singapore Grand prix. Briatore believes that he as judged and sentenced before the hearing even took place and that it was the result of a vendetta by then FIA President, Max Mosley. As a result he was demanding that the verdict be overturned and a million pounds in compensation for his damaged reputation.

"It's difficult not to see the result of the conflict between Briatore and Mosley in the FIA's decision. Don't forget that Briatore had threatened the FIA with the idea of launching a rival series to Formula One,” Philippe Ouakrat, lawyer for the absent Briatore told the court. "Briatore wants to recover his freedom and be able to do what he wants. When he decided to leave Renault, he took moral responsibility for the mistake, but he doesn't want to be penalised for something he is not responsible for."

Meanwhile, the FIA lawyer argued that the Renault team boss had undermined the sport's ethic and the credibility of the competition and had put other people's security at risk by asking his driver, Nelson Piquet junior to crash his car to enable his teammate, Fernando Alonso to gain an unfair advantage, something the Brazilian driver complied with because he was attempting to get his contract renewed for the following season.

"Honestly, we hadn't seen something as unethical in a sports competition before. To me, it was almost a crime. Many people's lives were endangered," Jean-Francois Prat told the court.

The verdict will be handed down on the fifth of January next year.