Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and ex-Ferrari driver Felipe Massa are likely to cross paths next weekend at the Miami Grand Prix, something which could prove to be awkward given the Brazilian’s intensifying investigation into the 2008 World Championship.
Hamilton, of course, won the 2008 title after overtaking Timo Glock on the final lap of that season’s Brazilian Grand Prix, at the penultimate corner.
His 2008 crown was his first, with his overtake on Glock having meant he narrowly beat Massa to the title.
Hamilton’s 2008 championship is currently a huge talking point, though, following comments made by former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone.
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The former F1 supremo recently revealed that himself and former FIA president Max Mosley were aware of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix ‘Crashgate’ incident before it was officially announced mid-2009, but chose to stay quiet after knowing that it would damage the integrity of the 2008 World Championship.
At the 2008 Singapore GP, Nelson Piquet Jr. purposefully crashed so that Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso could inherit the race lead, and ultimately the victory.
‘Crashgate’, wasn’t revealed until mid-2009, with Massa having instantly questioned whether the results from the race could be cancelled.
Massa was told at the time that the results couldn’t be changed; however, following Ecclestone’s recent comments the Brazilian is thoroughly investigating the matter again with a team of lawyers, to decide whether they have a case to take to court.
If the results are cancelled, then Massa would be crowned 2008 World Champion, returning Hamilton to a six-time World Champion.
Due to lawyers now being involved, as reported by Motorsport-total.com, Massa will not be talking about the case in public.
Massa and Hamilton will potentially cross paths in Miami due to the 41-year-old attending the race as an F1 ambassador, a role he finds “more relaxed”.
“It’s a different feeling, you know,” Massa said, as reported by Express.co.uk.
“You are here for a different thing, you are here to speak to the people, the fans, interviews, meeting very important people.
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“Sponsors, business people from different companies, top companies. In the end, it’s quite nice, I mean it’s quite an important thing to do.
“But it’s also a lot more relaxed because you are not coming here for pressure to race, you know. You are coming here to try to pass your experience to the people and that’s nice.
“I mean, it’s not easy, you know. You need to have good patience and you need to want to do that. [But] It’s nice to be part of the Formula One ambassadors.”