What was the “Crash Gate”, the Formula 1 scandal that 15 years later threatens to snatch a title from Hamilton

It was one of the biggest scandals of the Formula 1 but it’s no secret what happened in the Singapore Grand Prix 2008. On the contrary, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) sanctioned the culprits. However, Philip Massa study the possibility of take legal action to obtain that year’s title After Bernie Ecclestone recognized that there should be “race cancelled”for which the Brazilian driver “he would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton”.

Just like what happened when he admitted it Carlos Reuteman should have been the F1 champion in 1981, in his bio series lucky (Star+), Ecclestone has now referred to another definition of the season on the specialized site F1-Insider. “We had sufficient information at the time to investigate the matter. According to the statute, we would have had to abandon the Singapore race under those conditions. This means that there would be no impact on the championship standings. And Felipe Massa and not Lewis Hamilton would have become world champion‘ said the British.

“We have decided to do nothing. We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. Back then, there was a rule that a world champion’s standings were untouchable after the FIA ​​awards ceremony at the end of the year. So Hamilton received the cup and everything was fine,” added the man who owned F1 until Grupo Liberty Media bought the rights from him in 2016.

“Even,” Ecclestone pointed out, today I am still sorry for Massa. I’m sorry for him. In the end she won her home race in São Paulo and did everything right. He was cheated and didn’t win the title he deserved, while Hamilton had all the luck in the world and won his first championship. That’s why, for me, Michael Schumacher is still the only record world champion, even if the statistics say otherwise.”

It was these statements that got Massa talking to the Brazilian press. “I emphasize that I am not interested in the financial side of this story, but rather in justice. If the two most powerful people, the Formula One boss (Bernie Ecclestone) and the FIA ​​boss (Max Mosley), knew about it in 2008 and kept quiet, It is very serious and inadmissible for sport“, he said on the portal globesport.

Had the Singapore GP been cancelled, Hamilton would not have added the six drives to be third and, therefore, would not reach the difference of one point with which he obtained the first of his seven titles. Conversely, he would have finished with 92 against the 97 of the Brazilian, who had taken pole position in that GP but had stayed out of the points finishing in 13th place after a serious fuel error. It would also have meant another success for Ferrari, after that of Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

Crash Gate, the scandal that upsets F1 15 years later

At the first Singapore Grand Prix, one of F1’s darkest events occurred: the crashgate. That September 28, 2008 a night race was held for the first time. That lack of night vision, perhaps, was what was alluded to so as not to arouse suspicion. the clash of Nelsinho Piquet on lap 13, just after his Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso had pitted.

Despite starting 15th and stopping earlier than expected, the Asturian was able to finish fifth with successive stops and finally inherited the lead on lap 38 of 61. to celebrate a triumph again after two years in a race that also marked the end of refueling due to what happened in the Ferrari pitlane.

But in 2009, Nelsinho Piquet, who was no longer part of Renault because the Frenchman Romain Grosjean had replaced him, spoke and did so in front of the FIA. The Brazilian said so Renault forced him to crash to favor Alonso and his team’s victory. He also directly pointed to Flavio Briatore, the team manager, and engineer Pat Symonds as the masterminds.

The FIA ​​investigated the matter and was able to confirm what the driver reported and to impose his sanctions: Renault will not be able to race in F1 for two years, Briatore will be disqualified for life and Symonds 5 years.

But little of that came to pass. The French team continues in the World Cup even if it throws out the Italian, pardoned by the FIA, and the Englishman, who in 2011 started as a consultant to Marussia and, following his disqualification, was appointed director.