Could Massa win 2008 WDC

Bernie still thinks the medals are a good idea, but it got voted down again for 2010. Hopefully we'll never see that coming to fruition.

 

I think LH is tired of hearing his title is not clean now?


Hamilton defends claims of good fortune over crash-gate

Sun, 20 Sep 15:30:45 2009
F-1Live.com

Lewis Hamilton has hit back at claims he claimed the 2008 championship courtesy of the Singapore 'crash-gate' revelations. Felipe Massa was almost level-pegging on points with the Briton for the crown until inaugural night race, when the safety car triggered by Nelson Piquet's crash - and then Ferrari's famously botched pitstop - ruined the Ferrari driver's race.

Massa, who had dominantly won pole for the night race and was pulling away from Hamilton in the opening stint until the Piquet crash, ultimately lost the drivers' crown by a single point.

It has therefore been claimed that, had Renault not cheated, Massa would now be world champion. But Hamilton told Britain's News of the World newspaper: "I am a worthy world champion. I have got the number one on my car and I deserved it."

He had a one point lead over Massa going into the Singapore round, but after Massa's problems he pulled clear by seven points with just three races to go.

Hamilton insists he was not trying to win in the Asian city-state.

"When you are leading the championship it is a different mind-set to when you are chasing. I was just thinking about the championship in the remaining races and getting the points I needed to win the title.

"If I had needed wins I would have gone for them," he said.

"I was driving with one eye on the world championship and wasn't going to take too many risks. I was happy to finish on the podium.

"There are things that happened last year with penalties that affected my points. And I still think I won in Belgium. I think that was my race," Hamilton added, referring to the earlier race at Spa-Francorchamps that was won by the McLaren driver but retrospectively handed to Kimi Raikkonen due to a chicane-cutting incident.

 

Had nothing to do with Nelson crashing or not. Massa's race was ruined by his own team.

No chance for WDC points.

If Alonso's win would be thrown out, Lewis gets 2 more points further widening the gap to Massa.

Case closed.

 

Only posted this because I was suprised to see LH commenting on this. I dont care what happens later on. His title will remain Im sure. Just suprised.

 

True. That is a tad strange that he feels the need to comment on this.

The only one whom I'd understand having a fit over these new revelations is Rosberg. He is the true moral winner of Singapore last year.

 

He was no doubt asked to comment by the interviewer and, being a gentleman, he responded.

 

Hamilton is truly a worthy World Champ. As it is starting already his title is getting tainted. A shame.

And the Alonso win would not be taken away widening LH's gap but the entire Singapore race results would have to be voided.

Not that I think that is what will happen or what should happen a year later. This is why the sancioning body has tools to punish those that did something.

When the McL. scandal broke they were still fighting for the Championship. That is when you void all of their points and basically declare them ineligible for points. Let them run but they will not collect points or get a podium. They are simply erased. That is how I would have done that.

You cannot do that a year later. Sack the people involved.

My feel is that they will try to go after Alonso tomorrow. They gave him immunity two years ago and here is back involved in a scandal of huge proportions. They want his head and rightfully so.

 

Im glad we're back on topic, what will happen with the race points?

Wow, f1live.com broke the story almost two days after we started talking about it . Maybe they use f-chat for their source

 

This again prooves that Alonso is not worthy to be in a Ferrari......ever. Good thing he got along with Flav otherwise he would have been the snitch.......again.

 

I wondered where you have been. You're facing a tough time now that Alonso will be soon sitting in a Ferrari. His name has been cleared today, so I expect an announcement any day now.

 

Cleared by a corrupt force, mind you.

 

+1 and "cleared" is a loose term. Lets not forget the worlds current best over-rated driver was given IMMUNITY in this last saga(Mclaren), that attached its name to his. He was released from liability but was an active partner in using data.

I also note others here consider the Mclaren case far more serious that this one and think FA is just great to be in a Ferrari?? Sorry but you cannot have it both ways. He has had too many close calls to have a clear title for his name.

The sport is dirty and probably at least half the drivers are and Alonso in my opinion is the dirtiest and looks the worst in the public eye. I dont buy the coincidence anymore. He didnt know by design of course. He knew in all other practical avenues, yet plays "who me". Save us Fernando you are part of the problem, not the solution.

Fine he comes to Ferrari. That is no guarantee of success. Nor is he going to be guaranteed open acceptance by the team or all the fans.

 

In its statement today the FIA states that it will not renew a superlisence to any driver in Flavio;s stable. I know Webber is signed by Flav, I think Alonso too. Do they just walk out of their contracts???

 

Under the circumstances they probably could, but they might stick with him for a bit while they look around for another manager.

 

Just as much as their contracts commit them to drive for Flav, there will undoubtedly be a clause that Flav has to give them a car to drive. He cannot fullfill that, so they can opt out automatically.

 

He'll have at least one fan who is happy to finally be able to root for a Ferrari driver again. Has been a while.

 

The fans will take what they are given. Where else are they gonna go?

 

There is no lack of competition for the entertainment dollar.
The fanatics will stay until the bitter end but that demographic alone won't keep the sport in the black.

 

Oh please. Not another doomsday sayer! C'mon, you're smarter than that.

F1 is the most watched sport on the entire planet. More than football (soccer) or tennis or any other motorsport. F1 is king. On the track and on TV.

The local audience at the track doesn't count. They're just decorum.

 

Maybe so, but IMHO unless something changes, sooner or later the public is going to get sick of all of F1's foolishness.

 

And watch what instead? Local gokart races?

What ticks off the fans is when the FIA intervenes too much in the sport. But crashes (whether accidentally or not) will always be popular.

They want to crash their cars on purpose? Go right ahead, make my day. Please do it in front of my grandstand.

 

World Wrestling Entertainment
Pro Boxing
Rap
Hollywood movies
"Reality" TV
Porn movies
etc.

If the proof is in the pudding, it seems to me that most everyone loves foolishness these days. Or maybe I'm just getting older.

 

Actually I was referring to the FIA's foolish acts not those of the individual teams.

 

You'll excuse me if I don't join that race to the bottom.

 

Ok, those are dangerous. Changing the results last year after the Spa GP cost them a lot of fans. Same is true for the FIA/FOTA war. If they would come up with one standard engine, that would be really detrimental, but hopefully Todt will throw such ideas out.