“Was Champion for 38 Secs”: Amid $13,000,000 War, Lewis Hamilton’s Woes Pile as Felipe Massa Pushes Bitter Cause

Lewis Hamilton hasn’t had the easiest time in Formula 1 for the past couple of years. From fighting for championships every year to not getting even a sniff at a win, he and Mercedes haven’t been the same since that night in Abu Dhabi. The 2021 season finale was a controversial one, but the seven-time champion, who lost his chance of an eighth title that night, seems to have let the past go. Unfortunately for him, the past doesn’t want to detach itself from him. But instead of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, this is about the controversial 2008 Singapore GP.

Until this year, Hamilton would’ve looked back at the 2008 season thoroughly. Why wouldn’t he? It was the year he won his maiden championship. Turns out, his 2008 championship contender Felipe Massa wants to snatch that title from Hamilton, having already threatened a $13 million lawsuit against the FIA. 

Lewis Hamilton can’t catch a break this season

Add this to the list of worries Hamilton has had this season. First, he was fighting Mercedes to change its car. Then, it was his contract negotiations. Now, it’s his intra-team troubles with teammate George Russell. Even though Hamilton may not have been actively thinking about the lawsuit, it must’ve been running in the back of his mind. But what exactly instigated it? Earlier this year, former F1 owner Bernie Ecclestone said in an interview that Crashgate (the controversial incident at the 2008 Singapore GP) should’ve declared the race null and void. But it wasn’t, even when there was evidence to do it. 

Talking to Infobae, as quoted by GPFans, Massa said, “They robbed me, for sure. It was a perfect championship, which ended by one point in Interlagos. But then we saw that there was a manipulated race (Singapore), and the result should have been canceled.” [Translated by Google] Considering Massa was in the lead of the race when Crashgate happened and could finish only in P13 while Hamilton finished P3, he believes that’s where he lost the championship. But it wasn’t decided until the last race in Brazil.

Massa got pole position and won the race. The thing is, he thought he’d won the championship as well. At least for half a minute. But Hamilton made a last-lap overtake, ensuring he would be champion by one point. When asked if his title was stolen but not his dignity, Massa said, “Surely. I was champion for 38 seconds, but it wasn’t true. I was champion forever.” He may have lost the championship by a point, but he still believes that he deserves it because of what happened in Singapore. There’s very little chance that the FIA will just hand over the title to him 15 years after the fact. 

Read More: Felipe Massa Pulls Out “Integrity” Card to Emotionally Blackmail Lewis Hamilton in $13,000,000 Lawsuit

As Massa continues his bitter pursuit of the 2008 title, Hamilton has given his verdict on the entire debacle.

Lewis Hamilton put Felipe Massa down with dignity

Massa filed the lawsuit back in August. Neither the FIA nor the FOM have responded to him yet, but Hamilton has multiple times. After Massa based his lawsuit on the fact that Ecclestone said in an interview that he had the evidence to cancel the results of the Singapore GP, Ecclestone was asked to comment. In a shocking turn of events, he revealed he doesn’t remember giving any such interview. While all this was happening, Hamilton became a point of focus, too. He took a page from Ecclestone’s book and said, “I have a really bad memory, so I don’t really remember a lot, to be honest.”

A few weeks ago, Ecclestone even suggested that if Massa is trying to claim the 2008 championship, Hamilton should do the same with the 2021 title. At the Singapore GP this season, Hamilton made his intentions very clear to both Massa and Ecclestone. He said, “If that’s the direction that Felipe wants to go, that’s his decision. I prefer not to focus on the past. Whether it’s 15 years ago, two years ago, or three days ago. I’m only interested in the present, and my focus is on helping my team.”

Watch This Story: Felipe Massa’s Attempt to Take Back the 2008 F1 Championship Explained

Do you think anything will come out of this ordeal between Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, and the FIA?