Press kit / Mercedes / Pictured: Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion in Formula One, but it is possible that the Briton will lose the title he won in the 2008 season. Felipe Massa is considering undermining the results of that campaign. It is about setting up the Singapore race.
The recent actions of Felipe Massa, who wants to investigate his legal options related to checking the results of the 2008 season, relate to one of the last interviews with Bernie Ecclestone. The former Formula 1 boss revealed it He knew from the start that the Singapore Grand Prix was organized by Renault.
The 2008 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix is notorious for its “crash gate” scandal. Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed the car to launch the equalizer in good time for Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard “accidentally” had a car with new fuel and tires, which allowed him to reach the finish line in first place.
Masa is ready to go to court
Felipe Massa lost out on a “crash gate” as Ferrari’s botched pitstop during the neutralization period dropped the Brazilian from first to 13th in the race. At the same time, Lewis Hamilton won a lot. McLaren’s representative at the time finished third in the field.
Watch the video: #dziejesiewsportie: the bus got stuck in the mud, then the football players … see it yourself!
In the 2008 season, the British driver scored only one point more than his rival, so if the results of the Singapore Grand Prix are checked years later, then Massa can be considered the world champion. Is this possible?
– There is a law that once the championship is decided, once the trophy is presented to the driver, the results cannot be changed. Even if it is proven fraudulent. At the time, Ferrari lawyers were telling me about this rule. Their answer was that nothing could be done. I believed them,” Massa told www.0123go.com years later.
– Years later, however, I heard the former owner of F1 say that already in 2008, together with the head of the FIA, they knew about the fraud and took no action so as not to tarnish F1’s good reputation. It’s sad because I know if the Singapore Grand Prix results had been annulled I would have been world champion. You are the most lost in this situation.
The former Ferrari driver knows his chances of checking his 2008 season results are slim, but he wants to give himself any chance. There are many things that cannot be undone after 15 years. However, I will study the situation, and see what the law says about it. “We have to come up with an idea for that,” said the 41-year-old.
Justice after years?
Massa told www.0123go.com that he is not considering financial compensation for losing the title. – I just want justice. If you are being punished for something that was not your fault, and that is sweat theft, then justice must be served. The appropriate solution is to cancel the results of the Singapore Grand Prix.”
The Brazilian also referred to other sports whose results are verified years later. As an example, he cited cycling, where Lance Armstrong was denied victories in the Tour de France due to many years of doping. He lost all of his titles because of it. How is this different from my situation? – Asked.
Objectively speaking, Massa’s chances of checking the results of the 2008 season are slim. The FIA’s international sporting law does not allow post-race protests and any right to review the decisions of the stewards ends 14 days after the event and 4 days before the date of the FIA Awards Ceremony.
The FIA’s judicial system is also clear. The International Court of Appeals holds the highest authority in the world of motorsport. Each participant in the Championship, including Formula 1, agrees to its jurisdiction and is subject to its provisions. Therefore, there is no alternative court or tribunal to which Massa can be referred.
Theoretically, the former Ferrari driver could try to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, but he has no power over such matters. FIA regulations state that CAS may only be involved in matters relating to driver doping.
The inability to appeal to an international or joint court means Mercedes have given up fighting for Lewis Hamilton’s title in the courtrooms after the 2021 season. “In a normal court, we would have won without problems,” Toto Wolff said at the time, referring to the manager’s mistakes. The race that led Max Verstappen to become world champion.
Katarzyna Spzyczynska, journalist at WP SportoweFakty
Read also:
– Drivers criticize the judges’ decisions. “someone wants a show”
– Why did Verstappen escape punishment? It’s all clear
“Bacon scholar. Incurable social media ninja. Professional travel aficionado. Beer buff.”
