Former FIA chief Jean Todt claims race that handed Lewis Hamilton 2008 world title was ‘RIGGED’ and ‘should have been cancelled’, amid ongoing legal challenge by Felipe Massa

• Lewis Hamilton narrowly won the 2008 Formula One world title by just one point 
• He edged out Felipe Massa, who had a fatal pit stop error at the Singapore GP 
• There has been major controversy surrounding that decisive Singapore race 

Former Ferrari and FIA chief Jean Todt has claimed the infamous Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 was ‘rigged’.

The 2008 drivers’ championship went right down to the wire, with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton winning his first world title by just one point over Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in the last race of the season in Brazil.

However, the Singapore Grand Prix – which was the 15th out of 18 races that year – saw Renault’s Fernando Alonso win after Massa suffered a pit-stop error when he drove off with the fuel hose still attached to his car.

The race – in which Hamilton came third – was ultimately decisive in the world championship race, but generated controversy after it was claimed in 2009 that Alonso’s team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr was ordered to crash by his team in order to boost the Spaniard’s chances of winning. 

Massa came 13th so didn’t pick up any points and he had only allegedly pitted because of Pique Jr’s crash.

Former F1 chief Jean Todt has claimed the infamous Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 was ‘rigged’

Renault’s Fernando Alonso won the Singapore race after team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr was allegedly told to crash by his team, with Felipe Massa subsequently suffering a pit-stop error and only finishing 13th which impacted his hopes of winning the world championship

The controversy arose again this year when former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone suggested the FIA knew all about Renault’s supposed request.

Pique Jr made the original claims when he was dropped by Renault in 2009, with the FIA subsequently charging the team with conspiracy.

Renault decided not to contest the charges and threatened legal action against their former driver, before they received a suspended ban from F1, while managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds left the team. 

And Todt – who was Ferrari’s CEO at the time, before serving as FIA president from 2009 to 2021 – has now commented on the controversy and claimed more should have been done to deal with the alleged underhand tactics.

‘I don’t get into the controversy,’ he told Italian outlet La Stampa. ‘For him (Massa), psychologically, it was very hard.

Lewis Hamilton edged out Ferrari’s Massa by one point to win his first ever world title in 2008

Massa launched a legal challenge earlier this year, claiming he should be handed the title

‘Maybe we (the FIA) could have been tougher when the story came out. There is no doubt that the Singapore Grand Prix was rigged and should have been cancelled.’

Speaking in March, Ecclestone’s comments were staggering as he said: ‘We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. 

‘That means it would never have happened for the championship standings. And then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.

‘(But we did not act in order to) protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal.’

Massa has since launched a legal challenge to be handed the title, suggesting the Singapore Grand Prix should have been cancelled.

Hamilton is yet to speak on the matter but his current team principal at Mercedes Toto Wolff insisted he doesn’t expect Massa to succeed.

‘I don’t think he has a case, to be honest,’ Wolff said. ‘We are signing up to sporting regulations. They’re very clear, and you commit as a licence holder.

Ex-F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone admitted the Singapore race should have been cancelled

Massa (with Hamilton after the final race of the season) also believes it should be cancelled

‘If everybody were to open up situations, then the sport would be in disarray, and especially when you look at the full championships.

‘There are so many things that have an influence whether you win or lose that I don’t see the case to be honest.

‘On the civil case side, I don’t know. Let’s evaluate whether there are some damages that could be claimed.

‘This is like watching a soap opera playing out in front of me.’

Source: Read Full Article