From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone insists there is "no doubt" Renault is committed to staying in formula one.

The French carmaker's team has been through the mill with the crash-gate affair, losing its boss, technical chief, main sponsor and incurring untold image damage.

But in an interview with the Le Parisien newspaper, F1 chief executive Ecclestone said he cannot understand "all these rumours" about Renault following Honda and BMW through the paddock turnstile.

"There is no doubt" that Renault is staying on the grid, the 78-year-old billionaire added, revealing that he is set to meet with the Renault president this weekend.

He said scandal and controversy is common in formula one.

"And in sport, there is always a certain amount of controversy just to keep people interested," said the Briton. "Everyone knows that you don't talk about happy marriages, only divorces."