Motorsport's governing body, the FIA, are to appeal against last week's decision of the Tribunal de Grande Instance, who ordered the overturning of a lifetime ban from motorsport imposed on former Renault F1 team principal Flavio Briatore.

Briatore last week celebrated the news, believing it restored his "dignity and freedom" in the wake of a suspension that was imposed by the FIA for his role in the infamous 'crashgate' saga.

New FIA president Jean Todt, however, believes the world governing body has a case against the 59-year-old Italian.

The decision to appeal means the suspension against Briatore, and the five-year ban handed to the Enstone team's former director of engineering Pat Symonds, remain in force.

The FIA initially acted after Briatore and Symonds were involved in a conspiracy which saw Nelson Piquet Jnr deliberately crash his car at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix in order to help team-mate Fernando Alonso take the win. The TGI, however, declared the suspension "irregular" as it was not catered for in the FIA's own statutes.

The court demanded the FIA notify the teams and public, through adverts in French newspapers of Briatore and Symonds' choosing, that the bans be lifted. Briatore was naturally jubilant, claiming justice had been served, suggesting at the time he would consider a return to Formula One.

Although warning the FIA against making an appeal, the Federation clearly feel they are duty-bound to contest the TGI's decision in light of the seriousness of Briatore's offence in putting another person's life at risk.

Fortunately for those drivers in Briatore's management stable, such as Alonso and Mark Webber, the FIA have indicated they will not be affected when it comes to renewing their superlicence.

The FIA have also made it clear they will strengthen their own laws that were called into question by the court.

In looking to implement new disciplinary procedures, the FIA appear set to appoint an independent body by the end of the year to handle cases such as 'crashgate'.