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Bernie Ecclestone has admitted Lewis Hamilton should have been stripped of his first world title after Felipe Massa “deserved” to win. The former F1 boss claimed that the controversial Singapore Grand Prix should have been cancelled, which would have changed the outcome of the title.
The race saw Renault driver Nelson Piquet Junior purposefully crash to bring out a safety car, allowing Fernando Alonso to secure victory. Ecclestone admits he and ex-FIA president Max Mosley found out about the race fixing in 2008 but decided to keep quiet to avoid a scandal.
However, Piquet Jnr made the admission a year later with Renault issued a range of punishments including a ban for team boss Flavio Briatore. Hamilton’s title remained valid, though, as the trophy had already been handed out.
Ecclestone told F1-Insider: “Back then, there was a rule that a World Championship classification after the FIA awards ceremony at the end of the year was untouchable. So Hamilton was presented with the World Championship and everything was fine.
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“But, according to the statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. That means it would never have happened for the World Championship standings. Then Felipe Massa would have become World Champion and not Lewis Hamilton.
“I still feel sorry for Massa today. He won the final at his home race in Sao Paulo and did everything right. He was cheated out of the title he deserved while Hamilton had all the luck in the world and won his first championship. Today I would have arranged things differently.”
Removing the race from the final standings would have secured the title for Massa and Ferrari. Hamilton finished P3 in Marina Bay while Massa finished outside the points in 13th after pulling away with his fuel hose still attached during his stop.
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The six-point swing was enough to change fate with Hamilton only winning the crown by one point at the final race in Brazil. The 2008 season was the Brazilian’s only shot at the crown as he fell down the field from 2009 onwards.
Meanwhile, Hamilton went from strength to strength to secure another six world titles to match Michael Schumacher’s record. However, Ecclestone has refused to accept Hamilton is on par with the German F1 great.
He added: “Michael Schumacher is still the sole record World Champion for me. Even if the statistics say otherwise.”
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