Felipe Massa, a Brazilian retired Formula 1 driver, has been attempting to redispute a championship title from 2008. Massa had a successful career, with over 41 podiums, and a vice-championship. He has recently requested a revisit to the results from the championship, with the subtle support of his lawyers. In 2008, the championship was intense and competitive, leaving Formula 1 fans at the edge of their seats. The main competitors were Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion.Massa and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion. It all came down to the final race, which took place in São Paulo, Brazil. Lewis Hamilton had an impressive 94 points, whilst Massa came close, with 87 points. For Massa to surpass Hamilton, he would have to gain at least 8 points, aiming for at least 2nd place. However, this would also mean that Hamilton could not gain any position above 6th place, which was unlikely to happen seeing his 5 wins and 7-point advantage. During the Brazilian Grand Prix, Massa seemingly had the upper hand, starting the race from pole position. Hamilton had an unlucky qualifying session and started from 4th.
During the last laps, it started to rain, and Massa could see his victory at the edge of the checkered flag. Lewis Hamilton struggled at 6th with Timo Glock in front of him, merely beyond his reach. As Massa crossed the finish line, he felt an immense amount of pride, for himself, and Brazil. However, as Ferrari was celebrating, Toyota’s Timo Glock had been losing tire grip and slowed down just enough for Hamilton to surpass him. Hamilton ended in 5th place, taking the championship from Massa. The controversy came from Massa’s loss of reputation and “immoral” FIA practices. In the 2008 Singapore grand Prix, Nelson Piquet Jr., another Brazilian driver, crashed against a wall on lap 15. Due to the dangerous debris left on the track, a safety car had to be deployed. This gave a significant advantage to Hamilton, closing in on their initial point difference. However, the illegality began when Piquet Jr. revealed that the crash had been intentional. Massa believes that the FIA did not handle it appropriately, thus, losing him the championship. Massa’s lawyers are currently in the process of demanding an investigation of the 2008 championship, and “reclaiming” his title.
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