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Fittipaldi over Massa 2008

Fittipaldi backs Massa 'but will be very difficult to do anything about 2008'

26 April 2023 at 16:04
Last update 26 April 2023 at 18:56
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  • GPblog.com

Emerson Fittipaldi thinks Felipe Massa has a tough task in his attempt to overturn the 2008 result. Speaking to The Mirror, the former World Champion discussed his compatriot's attempt and reflects on the events of that season.

Earlier this year, Bernie Ecclestone revealed that he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew about Renault's plan as early as 2008, the so-called 'crashgate'. On that basis, Massa announced that he wanted to investigate whether this confession by Ecclestone is reason enough to adjust the 2008 result as yet. Massa's aim is to scrap the Singapore Grand Prix, which was manipulated by Renault, which retrospectively would give Massa more points than Lewis Hamilton and thus would make him the champion.

Although Fittipaldi is on Massa's side, he sees extremely slim chances of his compatriot actually succeeding with his attempt. "I am one hundred per cent pro Felipe Massa," Fittipaldi made clear. "I would love it if Felipe would be World Champion, being Brazilian. When you go backwards, in that race, Ferrari made a mistake during a pit stop. That means the result of the race would not change a lot. It's so difficult to reverse that. That's my personal opinion."

Fittipaldi witnessed conclusion of 2008 live

The 2008 championship was finally decided at the very last moment. Massa crossed the finish line first, but Hamilton just managed to gain a position just before the end of the Brazilian Grand Prix, ultimately giving him one point more than Massa. Fittipaldi was present at the race at the time and saw it all happen before his eyes.

"I was in Interlagos that year inside the McLaren pit with Lewis Hamilton," the two-time World Champion explained. "When Felipe went by only two people, myself and my wife, stood up and screamed. Everybody was quiet. 15 seconds later, everybody stood up and started screaming and I didn't understand why! But, anyway, that was the day that happened."