F1 icon Emerson Fittipaldi has thrown his support behind Felipe Massa as the ex-Ferrari driver tries to overturn the 2008 world championship result, although he doubts his compatriot will get what he wants. The 2008 world championship ended in spectacular fashion when Massa believed he had won his first F1 world championship title, before it was snatched from him in the final corners.
The Ferrari garage had already started celebrating when Massa crossed the finish line, but Lewis Hamilton had one last chance on the penultimate corner when he passed the slowing Timo Glock to take the lead of the rank. Pandemonium ensued as the young Briton raced home to claim his first F1 World Championship title.
But it was the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that proved the most contentious for Massa in the years that followed. Bernie Ecclestone revived the debate this year by admitting to having done nothing after learning of the voluntary accident of Nelson Piquet Jr in Singapore.
Massa ended up stopping during the safety car period following Piquet Jr’s crash, but Ferrari botched the pit stop and the Brazilian finished outside the points. Ecclestone’s recent revelation has led Massa to seek legal advice on the possibility of challenging the 2008 world championship result.
Two-time F1 champion Fittipaldi fully supports his compatriot’s efforts but doubts the legal action will achieve anything. He told the Daily Mirror: “I think it was Bernie Ecclestone who started it. Typical Bernie! Bernie wanted to create a controversy and this controversy he is creating is just to get people talking about him.
“I would love for Felipe to be world champion, as a Brazilian, that’s for sure. I was at Interlagos that year, in the McLaren stand with Lewis Hamilton. When Felipe passed, only two people, my wife and I, stood up and shouted.
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“Everyone was silent. 15 seconds later everyone got up and started screaming and I couldn’t figure out why! But anyway, that’s what happened that day. When you go back in this race [the Singapore GP]Ferrari made a mistake during a pit stop.
“That means the race result would not change much. It is very difficult to reverse the trend. This is my personal opinion. I’m 100% for Felipe Massa, that’s for sure.
Hamilton is set to meet Massa for the first time since seeking legal advice at the Miami Grand Prix next month. Massa is an F1 ambassador and will be at the US race where he could potentially interview Hamilton over the weekend.
2023-04-25 18:50:55
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