'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former F1 driver Damon Hill dropped a one-word reaction as Felipe Massa's case on the 2008 World Championship including Lewis Hamilton is set to be heard in court. Massa filed the lawsuit back in 2024, claiming that he should have been the rightful champion in the 2008 F1 season.
Massa is sometimes called the 30-second World Champion, as this was exactly the amount of time he had when he won the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, which was enough for him to clinch the title. However, his contender, Hamilton, gained one place on the final lap, giving him the right edge to get one point ahead of Massa and claim his first title instead.
This was a heartbreaking moment for Massa and for Ferrari. However, there was more to that season than just the Brazilian GP. In Singapore, Hamilton finished in third place with Massa out of points after a pitstop mishap from the team, leading to the gap between the contenders reducing.
Trending
It was later proven that the race was rigged after Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed out on purpose to bring out the safety car and help his teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.
Felipe Massa claims that since the race was rigged, the points should never have been considered, meaning, he would have more points in the championship, making him the champion. He filed a lawsuit regarding the same, and the hearing is set for later this year. Reacting to this, 1996 F1 champion Damon Hill dropped a one-word reaction on social media.
"Really?," he wrote on his Instagram story.
Although this might be encouraging for Massa and other Ferrari associates to have another title in their long racing portfolio, it is hard to guess if he would win the case. The "crashgate scandal" wasn't revealed until a year later. If he does manage to win the case, it would mean that Hamilton would lose his first title, bringing his count down to 6.
Lewis Hamilton feels he is where he's "supposed to be" with Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton moved to Ferrari this season, ending his decade-long partnership with Mercedes. There was much hype surrounding his move to the Italian outfit as it is set to be a major change on the grid. He is set to partner Charles Leclerc as the team released Carlos Sainz who then moved to Williams Racing.
Reacting to his move and his early working with the team, Hamilton mentioned that he is where he's "supposed to be."
"It's a completely new chapter," he said (via F1). "The previous chapters have been as great as they could be. I genuinely feel like I’m exactly where I am supposed to be."
"It feels natural. Just the timing, it couldn’t have been better for me. It’s invigorating to have this new burst of energy."
Hamilton had some runs in the SF-25 earlier at Fiorano. He will be getting behind the car again during the pre-season F1 test sessions at Bahrain International Circuit.
