Lewis Hamilton's adversary Felipe Massa expects support from Ferrari in his quest for the team's '16th drivers' title'

Lewis Hamilton's adversary Felipe Massa expects his former team Ferrari to throw its hat in the ring in his support in the battle for the 2008 F1 title. The two drivers battled it out for the championship in 2008 and it was Lewis who came out on top on the last lap of the last race of the season.

It was however discovered a year later that the 2008 F1 Singapore GP was a fixed race where Renault boss Flavio Briatore had ordered his driver Nelson Piquet to crash at a certain point in the race at a particular part of the track.

If that intervention had not been there, the result of that race and the championship could have flipped. Lewis Hamilton could have been runner-up while Felipe Massa then would have been a potential world champion.

With the legal proceedings already in play, Felipe Massa, who has been going at it all alone for now, expects Ferrari's support soon as he challenges Lewis Hamilton's title. He told TG1TV programme:

“I have one certainty: that title is mine and it is Ferrari's 16th drivers' title. I have hired a team of very strong lawyers. We will fight to the end to obtain justice in this sport. I don't understand why a case of manipulation cannot be verified in the way right, even if a year, two years or 15 years later."

He added:

“At this moment I have not yet had the support of Ferrari, but I expect help from them. I am optimistic: I will fight for the justice until the end.”

Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa's title battle and why the Brazilian is challenging the result

The title battle did swing with the race in Singapore where Felipe Massa was comfortably leading the race. It was only due to the crash that triggered a chain reaction and completely compromised the Brazilian's race.

When it was first revealed in 2009 that the crash-gate was a premeditated chain of events, Felipe Massa questioned Lewis Hamilton's title. It was only due to the technicality that the information had to be discovered before the award ceremony in 2008 for such a result to be overturned.

When Bernie Ecclestone revealed early in 2023 that both he and the FIA president knew about the crash gate in 2008 and chose not to do anything, the Brazilian decided to go ahead with the legal proceedings.

At this stage, it is hard to see Lewis Hamilton lose his title but it all depends on what kind of settlement is ultimately reached.