<p>The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that its court of appeal had decided to reduce the sanction to a reprimand and $50,000 fine. <br /><br />The race ban, handed out by stewards in Hungary last month, had threatened to prevent double world champion Alonso from appearing before his home crowd in Sunday's European Grand Prix. <br /><br />Renault also argued that the suspension would have "severe consequences" for the local race organisers as well as hitting fans who had bought tickets in the expectation of Alonso racing. <br /><br />Stewards had punished the team after a wheel came off the Spaniard's car and bounced away to the side of the track during last month's Hungarian Grand Prix. <br /><br />The incident came a day after Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa had been seriously injured by bouncing debris in qualifying. <br /><br />It also followed the death of Henry Surtees in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch after the 18-year-old Briton, son of 1964 world champion John, was hit on the head by a loose wheel. <br /><br />Renault were accused of releasing Alonso's car after a pit stop, knowing that there was a problem with his right front wheel. The team admitted a breach of regulations but denied deliberate misconduct, with Renault lawyer Ali Malek telling the four appeal court judges that the punishment was both excessive and unfair. <br /><br />"This case does not deserve more than a reprimand," he added, saying that a ban should be reserved for serious offences such as cheating and conscious wrongdoing. "Was there conscious wrongdoing from Renault? There was none whatsoever," he said. <br />"The only persons who knew...were the two mechanics," said Malek. "Nobody on the pitwall knew there was a problem and the driver did not know either.</p>
<p>The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that its court of appeal had decided to reduce the sanction to a reprimand and $50,000 fine. <br /><br />The race ban, handed out by stewards in Hungary last month, had threatened to prevent double world champion Alonso from appearing before his home crowd in Sunday's European Grand Prix. <br /><br />Renault also argued that the suspension would have "severe consequences" for the local race organisers as well as hitting fans who had bought tickets in the expectation of Alonso racing. <br /><br />Stewards had punished the team after a wheel came off the Spaniard's car and bounced away to the side of the track during last month's Hungarian Grand Prix. <br /><br />The incident came a day after Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa had been seriously injured by bouncing debris in qualifying. <br /><br />It also followed the death of Henry Surtees in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch after the 18-year-old Briton, son of 1964 world champion John, was hit on the head by a loose wheel. <br /><br />Renault were accused of releasing Alonso's car after a pit stop, knowing that there was a problem with his right front wheel. The team admitted a breach of regulations but denied deliberate misconduct, with Renault lawyer Ali Malek telling the four appeal court judges that the punishment was both excessive and unfair. <br /><br />"This case does not deserve more than a reprimand," he added, saying that a ban should be reserved for serious offences such as cheating and conscious wrongdoing. "Was there conscious wrongdoing from Renault? There was none whatsoever," he said. <br />"The only persons who knew...were the two mechanics," said Malek. "Nobody on the pitwall knew there was a problem and the driver did not know either.</p>