Bernie Ecclestone has admitted ought to have been stripped of his first world title after Felipe Massa “deserved” to win. The previous F1 boss claimed that the controversial Singapore Grand Prix ought to have been cancelled, which might have modified the result of the title.
The race noticed Renault driver Nelson Piquet Junior purposefully crash to convey out a security automotive, permitting Fernando Alonso to safe victory. Ecclestone admits he and ex-FIA president Max Mosley came upon concerning the race fixing in 2008 however determined to maintain quiet to keep away from a scandal.
Nevertheless, Piquet Jnr made the admission a yr later with Renault issued a spread of punishments together with a ban for crew boss Flavio Briatore. Hamilton’s title remained legitimate, although, because the trophy had already been handed out.
Ecclestone informed F1-Insider: “Again then, there was a rule that a World Championship classification after the FIA awards ceremony on the finish of the yr was untouchable. So Hamilton was offered with the World Championship and all the pieces was high-quality.
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“However, in accordance with the statutes, we should always have cancelled the race in Singapore below these situations. Meaning it could by no means have occurred for the World Championship standings. Then Felipe Massa would have turn out to be World Champion and never Lewis Hamilton.
“I nonetheless really feel sorry for Massa at the moment. He received the ultimate at his residence race in Sao Paulo and did all the pieces proper. He was cheated out of the title he deserved whereas Hamilton had all of the luck on the planet and received his first championship. Right now I'd have organized issues otherwise.”
Eradicating the race from the ultimate standings would have secured the title for Massa and Ferrari. Hamilton completed P3 in Marina Bay whereas Massa completed outdoors the factors in thirteenth after pulling away along with his gasoline hose nonetheless hooked up throughout his cease.
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The six-point swing was sufficient to alter destiny with Hamilton solely profitable the crown by one level on the closing race in Brazil. The 2008 season was the Brazilian's solely shot on the crown as he fell down the sector from 2009 onwards.
In the meantime, Hamilton went from power to power to safe one other six world titles to match Michael Schumacher’s report. Nevertheless, Ecclestone has refused to just accept Hamilton is on par with the German F1 nice.
He added: “Michael Schumacher remains to be the only real report World Champion for me. Even when the statistics say in any other case.”