Timo Glock, a former Formula One driver, thinks Felipe Massa’s challenge to Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 title means Max Verstappen’s 2021 championship could be taken away.
Max Verstappen has been informed that, given Felipe Massa’s continuous challenge to Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 World Championship, he may lose the 2021 Formula One championship. Due to the Renault team’s “deliberate manipulation” of the outcome, Massa is suing the Formula One and Formula IA in federal court.
Hamilton defeated Massa to win his first world championship in the season’s final race, and Massa went on to lose the ’08 title under tragic circumstances.
Before Hamilton passed Timo Glock at the final corner to gain the position required to win the championship at the last second, Massa had crossed the line and thought he had won. As the rain got heavier toward the finish of the race, Glock was forced to slow down and was passed by Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.
Glock now thinks that Massa contesting the decision and possibly winning a legal battle could have a significant impact on other championships, such as Verstappen’s 2021 victory over Hamilton.
According to Glock, PlanetF1.com, “Well, that’s a fair question. To be honest, I’m not sure if this is the best course of action. When I saw it, I was taken aback because, you know, going before a judge after all this time… I’m not sure if it will be beneficial for him. He really is skilled at what he does. He is aware of the facts, whereas I am not aware of the specifics.
“Well, we’ll see. If he ultimately succeeds and even wins, we might witness Lewis Hamilton versus Max Verstappen on a different court.
“Thus, I’m not involved in all those details involved. So, I don’t know if it’s the right side for the sport. I was surprised when I saw that,” the speaker said.
Should Massa prevail in his legal challenge, Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes, has already stated that he would think about a challenge for the 2021 championship.
Verstappen unlawfully passed Hamilton in that race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to a “human error” on the part of FIA race director Michael Masi. Following the event, Masi lost his position.
Wolff said: “It is interesting to follow. It is not something that anybody saw coming because the rules are pretty clear in F1.
“But it will set a precedent — whatever it is — and we’re looking from the sidelines with curiosity.”
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