Bernie Ecclestone gives bold prediction on Massa's chances of overturning Hamilton title

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Ecclestone gives bold prediction on Massa's chances of overturning Hamilton title

Ecclestone sides with Hamilton as Massa looks to fight result of 2008 season

Shay Rogers

Friday 15 September 2023 06:57

Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has declared his support for Lewis Hamilton following the start of Felipe Massa’s legal action against the FIA.

Massa lost the 2008 championship by a point to Lewis Hamilton, after a dramatic final corner overtake on Timo Glock that saw the title swing back in the Brit’s favour with seconds to go.

On the 15th anniversary of the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix, a race overshadowed by Crashgate - a tactical decision by Renault to purposely crash in order to aid their strategy, Massa is ready to launch a bid to take the 2008 title away from Hamilton.

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If the results of the race were to be ignored, Massa would become champion, and Hamilton would be reduced to having just six titles.

Ecclestone: Massa clan only cares about money

“The Massa clan only cares about money,” Ecclestone told Blick. “But the chances of that happening are zero. Hamilton and Mercedes could have filed a lawsuit against the FIA after the not very clean 2021 finale in Abu Dhabi.”

Massa fired back at Ecclestone, claiming that his comments made him even more motivated to chase what could have been.

“This made me lift the antenna and go after justice,” he said. “I'm not a lawyer, but everyone knows, I was clearly wronged and I think justice is part of our fight to get what happened right.

“That was a stolen run. It was manipulation, which is a very serious thing. It wasn't an engine that broke down. There was also an engine that broke, but that's part of the game.”

Sadly, Massa failed to make another title challenge in his F1 career, with 2008 remaining the closest a Brazilian has got to winning an F1 crown since Ayrton Senna in 1991.

While legal processes are under way, the he FIA and FOM have so far declined to comment on Massa's case.