The former Formula One coach does not consider Hamilton seventh in “Singapore” | Formula 1

If today F1 debated the legality of everything that happened in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, surrounded by controversy over the breach of the sporting regulations by then-race director Michael Masi and which culminated in Max Verstappen’s title, Bernie Ecclestone, the former head of the category, goes too far. For him, Lewis Hamilton should not have been a champion in 2008 due to Nelson Piquet Jr.’s intentional crash at the Singapore Grand Prix.

– We decided not to do anything, we wanted to protect the sport and save it from a scandal. There was a rule that the position of World Champion was untouchable after the FIA ​​Awards Ceremony. So Hamilton got the trophy and everything was fine. But we had enough information at that point to investigate. According to the regulations, we should have canceled the race in Singapore for those conditions – said the Briton.

Piquet Jr., son of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, drove for Renault alongside Fernando Alonso. On orders from his boss Flavio Briatore and engineer Pat Symonds, he deliberately crashed at turn 14 at the Marina Bay circuit, when Felipe Massa was leading the race.

A safety car stop helped the two-time Spanish champion win the race. Under the yellow flag, the Brazilian entered the pits but was released by Ferrari with the fuel hose still attached to his car.

The Brazilian fell down the classification and did not score in the race, in addition to being penalized for nearly touching Adrien Sutil for unsafely releasing him from a pit stop.

Massa came into the race with 77 points, one less than then-championship leader Hamilton. After the race in Marina Bay, the Briton extended his lead in the world championship to seven points. At the end of the season, the difference between them was again one point.

Bernie, away from F1 operations – but his wife, Fabiana Flossi, vice president of sport for South America at the FIA ​​- believes that with the race cancelled, Massa would have been champion in Brazil:

– This means that there will be no repercussions on the World Cup classification. Felipe Massa will become world champion, not Lewis Hamilton. Today I sympathize with Massa, I feel so sorry for him. After all, he won the race at home, in Sao Paulo, but was cheated and did not win the title he deserved. Today I would do things differently. That is why for me, Michael Schumacher remains the only record-breaking world champion, even if the stats say otherwise.

It is worth noting, however, that Massa’s 2008 was marred by a series of problems in at least six races, including loose tyres, launches with incorrect compounds in torrential rain and Ferrari choosing not to refuel its car. Canadian Grand Prix. He was still penalized at the Japanese Grand Prix, a stage after Singapore, for a collision with Hamilton.

After a short racing career, Ecclestone drove for the Brabham team. He then took over Formula 1 to become CEO of the former Formula 1 Manufacturers’ Association (FOCA) from 1978 until 2017, when Liberty Media acquired the series.