Massa handed the Spa title
By Vaisakh
@gvaisakh (421)
India
September 8, 2008 6:22am CST
Formula One was plunged into new controversy on Sunday when race stewards at the Belgian Grand Prix stunningly stripped Lewis Hamilton of a brilliant victory.....
The stewards' decision, which will be seen by many as part of a conspiracy to rig the results to ensure a close fight in the title race, came along after the race when they hit Lewis Hamilton with a 25-second penalty....
It meant that he was pushed down to third and the race victory was handed to Ferrari's Brazilian driver Fellipe Massa who had struggled to keep pace with Hamilton and defending champion Finn Kimi Raikkonen.......
Critics and paddock observers were swift in their condemnation of a decision that reeked of potential favouritism for Ferrari and seemed entirely unjustified following the most exciting race of the year......
Their decision to punish Hamilton came in relation to a move in the final stages of the race when after attempting to pass Raikkonen, who was leading, he was forced off the circuit and cut-out the 'Bus Stop' chicane.....
Hamilton recognised immediately that he had done this, and gained an advantage by going ahead of Raikkonen, and so he alowed to allow the Finn to re-pass him and lead as they completed the lap in teeming rain...... When they began racing again, Hamilton passed the Finn and went on to win.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@GranTurismoGuru (504)
• Oxford, England
8 Sep 08
I thought the race was crap - until the last lap or so - then it got better. As for Hamilton ... 'my heart bleeds'. That's F1 for you!
C'mon Massa !
1 person likes this
@sirrob (4108)
• Philippines
10 Sep 08
you are wrong, the stewards are not doing it in order to have a close fight but they are doing it to let the ferrari's win the championship. that is just purely insane ant it is very clear that lewis had given kimi the way and the lead after that first turn and it is also very clear that hamilton brilliantly passed kimi in the next turn. the only advantage that hamilton have in making that move is the rain, which he masterfully won the british GP because of wet tracks. we also knew that hamilton is carefully crafting his skills in the wet weather tracks and that would define him from the rest of the drivers, just like schuey did in his prime. look what massa did in valencia, did he stewards handed him a time penalty in the pit-lane incident? nada, they only fined him for what he did out there. so it is obviously clear that they are favoring the farraris.. so it will definitelly re-define what F1 means. did ya' know it?
F1 = Ferrari 1 (not Formula 1)
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
8 Sep 08
Yeah, all hell broke loose in the final stages of the race. I watched the entire race and I was shocked to hear of the stewards' decision. This is seriously ploy against the McLaren team. I saw the overtaking manoeuvre and Lewis was forced to straight line the chicane by Massa. Still Lewis had the sense to let him pass otherwise he would have been penalised. Massa had gotten the whole car distance ahead of Lewis after which only did Lewis try his next overtaking manoeuvre. There was absolutely nothing wrong which Lewis did. It was a very good win for him but I don't know why somebody wants to play spoilsport and deny him victory. For me he was yesterday's winner by all means.





