Lewis Hamilton insists he’s “not focusing on what happened 15 years ago” when questioned on Thursday about Felipe Massa’s authorized motion over the 2008 Formula 1 title.
Massa is looking for substantial damages following the 2008 Crashgate scandal and a subsequent alleged “conspiracy” after feedback earlier this yr by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Hamilton, now a seven-time world champion, received his first F1 title in 2008 on the ultimate lap of a dramatic ultimate race in Brazil, with Massa lacking out by a single level.
A proper eight-page ‘Letter Before Claim’ was despatched to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem final Tuesday from London-based Enyo Law with the agency, performing on Massa’s behalf, alleging that the 42-year-old has been “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One management”.
Yet Hamilton, when requested concerning the case forward of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, remained tight-lipped.
“I’ve got a really bad memory,” Hamilton mentioned.
“I’m really just focused on the here and now and helping the team get back to the championship. I’m not focused on what happened 15 years ago.”
Massa’s legal professionals acknowledged of their letter that the ex-Ferrari driver has misplaced out on tens of hundreds of thousands of euros in misplaced earnings and bonuses because of lacking out on the 2008 title.
What was the ‘Crashgate’ scandal?
Crashgate rocked Formula 1 when the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix noticed Renault’s Fernando Alonso win the race earlier than it emerged that his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr had intentionally crashed to convey out a security automotive that performed into Alonso’s fingers.
That security automotive prompted a Massa pit cease that Ferrari mishandled, with Massa finally ending the race thirteenth whereas Hamilton got here dwelling third – a distinction of six factors, a swing which in the end impacted the title outcome.
While Renault and workforce boss Flavio Briatore have been punished in 2009 for Crashgate, the results of the race stood regardless of Massa’s protestations, with the FIA’s statutes making clear that overturning the classification from every season is unimaginable as soon as the FIA Awards Ceremony for that yr is full, a rule set within the FIA International Sporting Code.
Ecclestone revealed in March that each he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the Crashgate scandal in 2008, however refused to publicise the chain of occasions to keep away from the game a “huge scandal”.
The 38-year-old additionally gave a easy “no” response when requested about any contract updates, along with his present Mercedes deal set to run out on the finish of the season.
Hamilton has not received a race since Saudi Arabia in 2021, however he got here shut this time final yr at Zandvoort earlier than Max Verstappen got here by way of to win his dwelling race for the second yr working.
Verstappen, who has received 10 of the 12 races thus far this season and is trying to equal Sebastian Vettel’s file of 9 consecutive victories this weekend, has a “high chance” in keeping with Hamilton of profitable each race till the top of the 2023 marketing campaign.
Hamilton is concentrating on P2 within the drivers’ championship this season
(Getty Images)
The Mercedes star himself, nevertheless, is concentrating on second place on the earth championship. He is at present in fourth place, 41 factors behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in second.
“I think P2 [in the constructors’] is a huge achievement and something that has been overlooked if I’m completely honest,” he mentioned, with the Silver Arrows the next-best behind Red Bull.
“Ultimately we want to win, but I’m really proud of the team and the steps we’ve made with the car.
“My goal is to make sure the team keep second in the championship and try to hunt down second in the drivers’ championship. That’s my goal – that’ll be fun.”
Verstappen has a 125-point lead within the championship heading into his dwelling grand prix this weekend, with 10 races remaining this season.
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk
