What if one day Max Verstappen is asked to give back his 2021 F1 championship to Lewis Hamilton? What if Lewis Hamilton is asked to give back his 2008 title to Felipe Massa? All for F1’s boss’ wrongdoing? All of these may not be a possibility, but a recent development has proved the F1 statistics wrong, as Nelson Piquet may have to return one of his championships. After the former F1 honcho, Bernie Ecclestone made an eye-opening confession recently, the Brazilian might have to give up on his 1981 championship.
Bernie Ecclestone and Nelson Piquet have been two of the biggest names in Formula 1. Over the years, Ecclestone and Piquet have made quite the headlines in the sport. However, this time it’s all different. Ecclestone, in a recent documentary named “Lucky!” by Star+, shared that he used illegitimate ways to give the title to Piquet and this has now created a new controversy.
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This incident has been dug up after 42 years, as Ecclestone himself admitted to the crime. As per Noticias, Ecclestone said in the Lucky documentary, “After the first day of practice [in 1981 Las Vegas Grand Prix] it was obvious that the drivers were going to have problems with all the neck pain.” [Translated using Google]
“Carlos [Reutemann] spoke with the masseuse who was in the pits. I went to see this person and after a financial discussion, they decided to favor to Nelson. We won the 1981 championship, and it was the end for Carlos, who stopped racing soon after,” further stated the megalomaniac, who was accused of favoritism a while back.
READ MORE: Chaos Kicks Off for F1 Top Dog Bernie Ecclestone With $475 Million Sword Hanging Over His Head
Piquet, who has three F1 titles to his name, may have two as one championship is expected to be deducted, credits to Bernie Ecclestone. As for Reutemann, the F1 world might have a new world champion, but unfortunately, it’ll be too late, as the former Ferrari driver died in July 2021 at the age of 79.
Will Nelson Piquet have to give the 1981 title to Carlos Reutemann?
As Bernie Ecclestone has already confessed, this means Piquet may have to return the title to late Argentine F1 driver Carlos Reutemann. Cora Reutemann, daughter of the man from Santa Fe, is expected to claim the title on behalf of her father.
The Greatest Show on Earth rolls into Sin City in 2023 👀 Last time F1 was in Vegas was in 1981 and Nelson Piquet finished fifth in his Brabham-Ford to take the Drivers' Championship by one point.
Will you be attending F1's return to Las Vegas in 2023? pic.twitter.com/ZBhZ299ZWM
— Gas Monkey Garage (@GasMonkeyGarage) March 31, 2022
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Calling it “a fight for the truth,” Cora Reutemann, as per Noticias, said, “The day before dad died, I sent Bernie [Ecclestone] an audio asking him to be honest with my father and to tell him before he left that he was the true 1981 champion. Unfortunately, the next day he died, and it remained in the air.”
“I never imagined that it would have significance as it does now. Bernie told me that I could ask him for anything I needed. I asked him to tell the truth. He did it publicly, which is much better,” Reutemann Jr. further stated. [All quotes translated from Spanish using Google]
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Piquet won the 1981 championship after he finished the season with 50 points. Compared to him, Reutemann ended his season on 49. The last race in Las Vegas proved instrumental as the Brazilian finished the race in P5, whereas the Argentine finished in P8.