{"id":298019,"date":"2023-11-03T09:25:25","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T09:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=298019"},"modified":"2023-11-03T09:25:25","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T09:25:25","slug":"lewis-hamilton-told-youll-need-to-speak-as-brit-faces-having-title-stripped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/racing\/f1\/lewis-hamilton-told-youll-need-to-speak-as-brit-faces-having-title-stripped\/","title":{"rendered":"Lewis Hamilton told ‘you’ll need to speak’ as Brit faces having title stripped"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Lewis Hamilton has been urged to speak up about the dramatic end to the 2008 World Championship that saw Felipe Massa controversially lose the title. Brazilian former driver Massa has opened legal proceedings against Formula One and the FIA after it was claimed that Renault purposely crashed at the Singapore Grand Prix, partially resulting in Massa losing the title to Hamilton.<\/p>\n

In Singapore that year, Renault\u2019s Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to give an advantage to team-mate Fernando Alonso. Massa is alleging that Formula One\u2019s authorities were aware of the \u2018crashgate\u2019 scandal in time to take action before the championship was decided.<\/p>\n

Hamilton went on to beat Massa to the World Championship that season, winning the first of his seven titles. This weekend, the Briton returns to the Brazilian Grand Prix where his maiden triumph was wrapped up.<\/p>\n

Several drivers have declined to wade into the controversy, opting not to comment on Massa\u2019s legal claim. However, the former Ferrari star has urged Mercedes\u00a0ace Hamilton to speak up, telling him that he will need to do so.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong> Max Verstappen forces FIA rule change as Alonso discusses Red Bull rumour[UPDATES] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Asked if he has spoken to Hamilton, Massa told PlanetF1: \u201cNo, we haven\u2019t had any communication. Everything that we are doing is not against Lewis. I mean, I really respect Lewis as a driver for everything that he\u2019s done, he\u2019s one of the best drivers in the history of Formula One. So many records, with many titles.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what I\u2019m doing is against the result of a manipulated race. At the point in the race where the manipulation happened, I was leading, I was first in that race. So it\u2019s nothing against Lewis.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really like Lewis as a driver and he\u2019s doing a lot of things for justice, so many different kinds of justice in the world. I think, one time, he will need to speak and to talk about the situation. I think it\u2019s pretty clear I\u2019m not doing anything against him.<\/p>\n

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