If Felipe Massa had any feeling of decorum, he would accept the outcome of a earth championship that concluded 15 years back.
But only in the very last couple of times the Brazilian has served see that he seeks reparations for his reduction to Lewis Hamilton in 2008, the celebration of the Briton’s very first and most extraordinary title results, realized on the final corner of the period in Sao Paulo.
Admittedly, Massa arrived so shut to glory himself that right until Hamilton handed Timo Glock his family members were being leaping for joy in the Ferrari garage. Their boy, the area favourite, had taken the chequered flag as winner, only to have the prize cruelly ripped from him as the past threads of the race unravelled driving him.
I try to remember properly when his father Luis’s jaw dropped to the ground on realising what sporting disappointment experienced befallen his kin.
So I do not converse devoid of sensitivity on the topic, but a couple of details require to be established straight.
Lewis Hamilton narrowly edged out Felipe Massa to substantially acquire the environment title in 2008
On the other hand, Massa (remaining) has released a lawful challenge trying to get reparations for his limited loss
Let’s start off with his lawyers’ contentions, which are based mostly on the details Massa thinks he missed out on when Fernando Alonso took a crooked victory in Singapore earlier in the season — the staged race that became recognised as ‘Crashgate’.
‘Simply place,’ the lawyers argue, ‘Mr Massa is the rightful 2008 drivers’ winner, and F1 and the FIA ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title.
‘Mr Massa is unable to totally quantify his losses at this phase, but estimates that they are probable to exceed tens of hundreds of thousands of euros.
‘This quantity does not include the serious moral and reputational losses endured by Mr Massa.’
The place to start off on this pack of assumptions?
Very well, that he is the rightful champion — on the other hand basically put — is nonsense. You are unable to just transfer Alonso’s points to his and declare QED. The full dynamic of the time would have been affected, and who is to say what may have eventuated?
An case in point of one unexpected final result of an unpredictable event lies close at hand. Massa was main in Singapore. When Nelson Piquet Jnr deliberately crashed at the behest of his Renault masters, location in motion crew-mate Alonso’s victory, Massa pitted. It was a halt designed as a direct consequence of circumstance.
Ferrari mechanics then bungled in the pits. Massa did not rating a level. Up coming, it is uncertain in the excessive that System One and the FIA deliberately disregarded Renault’s dishonest.
Massa bases the accusation that they did on an interview that appeared on an obscure German internet site in March, claiming to quote previous F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone as expressing that he and then FIA president, Max Mosley, understood about Piquet’s crash in 2008 and unsuccessful to act. Ecclestone confirmed final week that he has no recollection of saying this. My personal knowing of the producing scandal, owning coated it thoroughly at the time, is that the criminal offense only arrived to officialdom’s focus the following time. This was when Piquet was about to be sacked by Renault boss Flavio Briatore and the endangered driver’s disgruntled father, three-time planet champion Nelson Piquet Snr, grassed on the duplicitous team.
And on to Massa’s ‘losses’. They are only worthy of looking at if it could be recognized that he is the ‘rightful’ champion. See over for the debunking of that proposition.
In any circumstance, Massa is a multi-millionaire who did quite very well out of his significant-accomplishing profession. He is in no have to have of funds. So to comb the seashore with a metal detector at this detachment is unbecoming.
As for the ‘moral’ harm he claims to have endured, I propose his entitlement to the crown was washed away in the rain at Monaco and Silverstone. His performances did not scream entire world champion. At the latter, he spun 5 instances, in distinction to Hamilton’s mastery that saw him triumph amphibiously by additional than a moment.
His lawyers claim the compensation he is looking for is in excess of tens of millions of euros, because of to the major moral and reputational losses he allegedly endured by coming 2nd
If he had any honour, he would acknowledge defeat and settle for Hamilton was the rightful winner
As for reputational damage, he is recognized for possessing agonisingly missed out on the title by a one level. He is not arraigned as a pederast.
Even present Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is not convinced by Massa’s situation.
‘I am not a big enthusiast of altering the consequence 15 minutes immediately after the flag,’ he said, implying, ‘Let on your own following 15 years’.
Massa should really do himself a favour and act as honourably as he did that painful night time for him in the town of his beginning. He could not have been a lot more gracious in crushing defeat.
Felipe, enable bygones be bygones.
Lewis delay blows a hole in Wolff’s credibility
Toto Wolff is staying humiliated by Lewis Hamilton’s recalcitrance in refusing to signal his new contract even with all the necessities getting previously been thrashed out (in accordance to Wolff).
This pantomime is not only a distraction for a staff who have to have as several of them as achievable, but what is genuinely injurious is the trustworthiness hole Hamilton is blow-torching via his group principal. Assume back again to Monday, June 12, when Wolff averred that the deal would be done in ‘days’ instead than ‘weeks’. He alternatively mentioned it would only involve a conflab over a espresso to tie up loose ends.
These unfulfilled pronouncements cast Wolff as a bystander with no strategy of what is likely on in his individual workforce. And designed it appear as if the tail was wagging the dog. Picture Sir Alex Ferguson remaining played for a idiot in this way. Or, in Formulation 1 phrases, Bernie Ecclestone or Ron Dennis or Luca di Montezemolo. Or, up to the minute, Christian Horner.
Wolff’s most up-to-date explanation for the delay is that the paperwork is getting worked by by the legal professionals. Just one hopes they’re not charging by the hour.
But, a lot more very seriously, if Mercedes want to return to the best, apparent management is essential, not this muddled messaging that smacks of a team in decrease.
The delay in Hamilton signing a new offer with Mercedes is affecting Toto Wolff’s credibility
Verstappen’s star attraction is clear to see
Roads into rain-lashed Zandvoort were being previously chocker yesterday. Which is only a faint foretaste of the orange-mania that will ensue around the weekend.
It all reflects the simple fact that Max Verstappen, who is chasing a record-equalling ninth successive victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, is by considerably the most famous sporting activities star in Holland now.
Without the need of him this race would not be going ahead. That is the star attraction Verstappen carries, on the other hand monopolistic his grasp of all the prizes.
The Dutch Grand Prix displays Max Verstappen is by considerably the most renowned sports star in Holland