Hamilton’s 2008 Title Under Threat as Crashgate Resurfaces

In this week’s email:

• Hamilton’s 2008 Title Under Threat: Crashgate resurfaces

• The Lap of the Gods: 30 years since Senna’s incredible performance

• Takeaways So Far: After 3 races what have we learned

• Meme of the Week: F1 2023 seating positions

Hamilton’s 2008 Title Under Threat

Felipe Massa wants the 2008 title

Let’s set the stage. It’s 2008 at the Singapore Grand Prix, race 15 out of 18. Renault’s drivers at the time were Fernando Alonso and rookie Nelson Piquet. Their car however wasn’t competitive this season, only achieving one podium in the first 14 races.

During practice, the grid was shocked to see Alonso setting the fastest laps in practice, but in qualifying he experienced mechanical issues that led to 15th on the starting grid. Now 2008 was still in the refueling era, whereas nowadays they get fuel before they start and that’s it. This extra layer adds quite a bit of strategy with regard to how teams attack a race. A common practice was to load up the back of the grid with fuel, this would lead to them pitting hopefully one less time than the front of the grid.

For that race, however, Renault opted to go light on fuel with Alonso, to give it quickness. He was able to make up a few places but wasn’t able to get around the slow traffic as much as they’d hoped. On lap 12 he pitted to get new tires and to refuel, leaving the pits in last. A safety car gave Alonso a few places to get him back into contention. Then another crash happened, this time his teammate and “crashgate” is born. Piquet sent his car into the wall, in a spot where there was no nearby crane to help out, leading to another safety car.

In 2008 the regulations were different than they are today. If a safety car was deployed you weren’t allowed to pit and if you did you would get a 10-second stop/go penalty. However, the alternative was running out of fuel and retiring early. Since Alonso just pitted he was able to make his way up to fifth, because most drivers opted for the 10-second penalty to refuel. And if they decided to stay out then they would still need to pit to get fresh tires. All added up quite favorably for Alonso who ended up winning.

But what does this all have to do with Hamilton and his 2008 World Championship? Well, he benefited the most from that race because he was able to finish in third while his main rival for the championship, Massa, finished out of the points after Ferrari botched a pitstop. The season finished three races later with Hamilton winning the title by one point over Massa. Okay but what’s the point of all this?

Well, the next season Renault ends up dropping Piquet from the team in July and he does not go quietly. He immediately accuses Renault of setting up the 2008 Singapore crash for Alonso to win. He presents evidence to the FIA and gives multiple statements on what occurred that day. The FIA launches an investigation into the matter. Renault eventually gets charged with interfering with the outcome of the race.

However, this all happened in 2009, after Hamilton already received the award. There was a rule at the time that the world championship rankings were untouchable after the FIA awards ceremony. Therefore, there’s nothing that could be done for the 2008 season.

The scandal seemed to be forgotten until recently. Former chief executive of the Formula One Group, Bernie Ecclestone, said in a 2023 interview that he and former FIA President Max Mosley were actually made aware of the incident during the 2008 season. They decided to not do anything because they wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal.

After Massa saw Ecclestone’s comments he was reported to have begun investigating whether or not he could take legal action to dispute the 2008 title. Massa argues that the crash cost him the title. If there was an investigation before the awards ceremony the race might have been nullified therefore taking away the points Hamilton received for P3, thus putting Massa back in first. If he does take legal action it’s hard to believe Formula 1 would rewrite history that’s 15 years old.

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The Lap of the Gods

Ayrton Senna has a performance of a lifetime 30 years ago

Let's take a trip down memory lane and relive one of the most incredible moments in Formula 1 history – Ayrton Senna's jaw-dropping first lap at the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park. This legendary lap, known as the "The Lap of the Gods," showcased Senna's skills in wet conditions.

On that day, Senna started the race in his McLaren in 4th position. As the rain poured down, many thought the Brazilian driver would struggle to compete with the more powerful Williams cars ahead.

On that first lap, Senna overtook Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, and even both Williams cars, driven by Damon Hill and Alain Prost. By the end of the lap, Senna had gone from 4th to 1st.

Karl Wendlinger described Senna's performance saying, "It was like he was walking on water."

Senna's uncanny ability to judge grip levels in the wet and his exceptional car control made him one of the best drivers in Formula 1 history, especially during rainy races. This phenomenal lap at Donington Park is a testament to his incredible talent and a reminder of the legacy he left behind.

So, next time you're watching a race and the rain starts to fall, remember "The Lap of the Gods" and the magic of Ayrton Senna. You can read more from that day here or watch the lap yourself here.

Takeaways So Far

Here’s a quick list of what we’ve learned after 3 races

• Red Bull is just as dominant as last year maybe even better

• Aston Martin is a real contender

• Alonso proves age is just a number at 41

• Leclerc is off to a rough start but seems to be just bad luck

• Russell, Alonso, Nico, Yuki, and Albon all have outqualified their teammates in every race

Meme of the Week