Former F1 star reveals CONTROVERSIAL role in Lewis Hamilton title

Lewis Hamilton thumbs up — Photo: © LAT Images

F1 News & Gossip

Former F1 star reveals CONTROVERSIAL role in Hamilton title

Timo Glock has spilled the beans on Lewis Hamilton's 2008 F1 title win

By Cal Gaunt.

Friday 26 January 2024 20:57

Timo Glock has admitted that he had no idea how significant his role in the 2008 Formula 1 world championship race was at the time.

The German's 2008 season saw him claim his first podium finish, but it was the last race of the campaign in Brazil - and, in fact, the last few miles of that race - for which he'll always be remembered.

During the intense setting of the championship decider in Brazil, Glock's unusual strategy call took centre stage. Amidst rain-soaked conditions, while many opted for a pit stop to switch to intermediate tyres, Glock dared to defy convention. Choosing to stay out on slicks, he swiftly ascended through the ranks.

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As the chequered flag loomed, Hamilton, vying for the title against Felipe Massa, needed a crucial P6 finish.

Lewis Hamilton pipped Felipe Massa to the 2008 F1 world championship

Timo Glock had a big part to play in Hamilton's first triumph

Glock accused of favouritism

Navigating the tricky Juncao, Glock found himself in the spotlight, unwittingly playing a pivotal role.

Hamilton seized the moment in the climactic and changing conditions, securing a decisive P5 in a spectacle that would go down in F1 folklore.

2008 proved pivotal for Hamilton's career as he's gone on to win seven world titles in total

“I never thought this would happen to me,” Glock told the official F1 website. “We tried to just do our race and make the maximum out of it and at the end we gained positions by staying out, but no one told me that I’m the guy who decided the championship.

“Even when I came back after the race and I parked behind Lewis, I asked my engineer who won the championship and he said, ‘It’s Lewis’. I went to Lewis, said congratulations, walked away and this whole bunch of journalists ran down. I thought, ‘OK, they’re all going to Lewis’, so I stepped aside. Then they all came to me!"

Glock's German nationality fueled media conjecture, with some suggesting he had some involvement in aiding the Mercedes-powered McLaren.

“I was asked these weird questions like, ‘Was it on purpose?’, ‘Why did you do that?’, blah, blah, blah. I was like, ‘What’s going on here?’ I had no idea. My physiotherapist came to me, grabbed me, pulled me back to the pits and explained to me what really happened. I said, ‘OK, now I understand what’s going on’. It’s part of F1 history.”

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Felipe Massa Brazilian GP