F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Speaks Out On Felipe Massa's Legal Action Over 2008 Championship
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has spoken on the recent developments in Felipe Massa's legal action over the 2008 Formula 1 Singapore GP. The ex-Ferrari driver has looked at several legal options after losing the championship to Lewis Hamilton by just 1 point, despite the amazing win at the Brazilian Grand Prix season finale.
The controversy erupted again from comments made by former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone earlier this year, revealing that he and then FIA president Max Mosley were aware of Nelson Piquet Jr's deliberate crash during the Singapore GP and as a result, the race should've been classified as 'void' from the Formula 1 records.
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To tell you more about the incident, Massa was looking to gain a good number of points in the Singapore GP. At the pit stop, Piquet's deliberate crash caused Massa to drive away in a jiffy while the re-fuelling hose remained attached to the car. The incident ensured Massa couldn't add the points he wanted to, while Lewis Hamilton finished third.
Massa and his Brazilian lawyers are not seeking a change in the championship results of 2008. What they're seeking is compensation money good enough to cover the loss of bonuses, sponsorship, and salary that Massa would've otherwise earned if he was declared championship winner.
Hamilton won the 2008 title in the final race by passing Timo Glock's Toyota in the last corner. Commenting on the incident, the British racing driver has expressed that he has no interest in the case since it is pointless to go back in time. Instead, he has chosen to focus on the present. He told RacingNews365:
"I'm really just focused on here and now.
"[I'm] helping a team get back in the championship race and am not really focused on what happened 15 years ago."
Currently, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are trying their best to get back to form by working on their W14 F1 car. Since the ground effect regulations were introduced in 2022, the car has been riddled with porpoising problems. Just recently, the team revealed that they had found the perfect ride height but the effects of that can only be seen once the cars are back on the tarmac after the summer break.
