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Hamilton defends claims of good fortune over crash-gate

Sun, 20 Sep 15:30:45 2009

Lewis Hamilton has hit back at claims he claimed the 2008 championship courtesy of the Singapore 'crash-gate' revelations. Felipe Massa was almost level-pegging on points with the Briton for the crown until inaugural night race, when the safety car triggered by Nelson Piquet's crash - and then Ferrari's famously botched pitstop - ruined the Ferrari driver's race.

Massa, who had dominantly won pole for the night race and was pulling away from Hamilton in the opening stint until the Piquet crash, ultimately lost the drivers' crown by a single point.

It has therefore been claimed that, had Renault not cheated, Massa would now be world champion. But Hamilton told Britain's News of the World newspaper: "I am a worthy world champion. I have got the number one on my car and I deserved it."

He had a one point lead over Massa going into the Singapore round, but after Massa's problems he pulled clear by seven points with just three races to go.

Hamilton insists he was not trying to win in the Asian city-state.

"When you are leading the championship it is a different mind-set to when you are chasing. I was just thinking about the championship in the remaining races and getting the points I needed to win the title.

"If I had needed wins I would have gone for them," he said.

"I was driving with one eye on the world championship and wasn't going to take too many risks. I was happy to finish on the podium.

"There are things that happened last year with penalties that affected my points. And I still think I won in Belgium. I think that was my race," Hamilton added, referring to the earlier race at Spa-Francorchamps that was won by the McLaren driver but retrospectively handed to Kimi Raikkonen due to a chicane-cutting incident.

 

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  1. so sad pretty much all the comments have low ratings, u­ hopeless racist

    Lewis is still one of the best drivers­ on the grid

    From Gti, on Mon 21 Sep 7:35PM
  2. you are (unfortunately the champ). Now stop with your­ self service righteous diatribe of complete and utter­ @#$%. you are the biggest sore winner in the history of­ sports. you are the champ, start acting like one, then,­ people will accept and even root you on.

    From harleyboy, on Mon 21 Sep 11:28AM
  3. Hamilton won the championship last year, no doubt about­ it, with some luck of course, but the way he put the­ whole incident here is just ridiculous, with only 1­ point ahead before the crash gate, anyone would want to­ win the race, and the remaining 3 too,unless the points­ were so far apart that Massa could never catch him, I­ guess he forget he won by only 1 point, he is not a­ worthy champion not because he is black, it is his­ childish behavior.

    From ken, on Mon 21 Sep 10:56AM
  4. Roy; unfortunately that was clever reading &­ understanding of the rulebook; what they did was not­ illegal.
    After Ross Brawn showed up that loophole the­ FIA were quick to prevent a recurrence.

    From the real adrian, on Mon 21 Sep 10:51AM
  5. if we are not going to win races on the track why race­ just let the teams throw dice for position ??

    From mick l, on Mon 21 Sep 10:38AM
  6. In view of all the anti Hamilton brigade comments are­ we now prepared to declare Damion Hill a two times­ champion and demote Mr Shoe maker to just 6 titles?­ after all just look at the antics Ferrari got up to­ including wining a GP by serving your drive through­ penalty and claiming a win by passing the finishing­ line in the pit

    From ROY, on Mon 21 Sep 10:29AM
  7. Damn this story is getting so old and is pissing me­ off, the TRUE FACT IS!!!! IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE @#$%­ STEWARDS AT SPA, MASSA WAS OUT OF THE RUNNING!!!! so­ sorry what ever people think but fact is L.H won the­ title fair and square in the eyes genuine race fans, as­ for the few ignorant idiots out there who cant see past­ your nose, GO GET A LIFE PLEASE

    From Phillsinger, on Mon 21 Sep 10:15AM
  8. I'm a Ferrari fan and despite the news of race­ fixing in Singapore it doesn't to me automatically­ mean we should get on Hamilton's back about not­ being a worthy champion even though the error that­ caused Massa to not finish in the points was because of­ Piquets accident. Yeah Massa was leading and had the­ race not been fixed we will never know if Massa would­ of won the race. Hamilton and Massa are both champion­ drivers but Hamilton deserves his crown. Also to me­ Alonso knew of a plan to help him in the race. He was­ extremely quick that weekend and qualified 15th due to­ an error in qualifying. Was very upset after that but­ it was his lack of real happiness when he came out of­ the car after winning. U'd think he would of been­ more excited after winning again after a yr without a­ win and in a car where he would of been thinking there­ was no chance of a victory.

    From anth_presti, on Mon 21 Sep 8:42AM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Wink @42,I do look after a mentally handicapped­ daughter.but not twenty fours hours a day,she spends a­ lot of time at the riverside resource centre, and yes i­ spend a lot of time at Silverstone.

    From touronroute, on Mon 21 Sep 6:55AM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hamilton is not a worthy champion because he himself­­ claims he is a worthy champion. You cannot claim that­­ you are a worthy champion. If you become a champion,­­ then you are a champion whether you are worthy or not­­ worthy to become the champion. But only your peers can­­ say whether you are a worthy champion. The moment you­­ claim yourself is worthy, you automatically become an­­ unworthy champion. Be humble!!!

    From Anderson, on Mon 21 Sep 5:35AM
  11. I really need to read the other stories first before I­ comment. Ho hum.

    I can't see Ferrari paying off­ Raikonnens full 2010 retainer, so that he becomes a­ free agent and can go race against them, it just­ doesn't make sense. Much better to demote him to a­ test driver, they'll still pay him the same amount­ but the competition will be a lower standard.

    If­ Raikonnen wants to go to Mclaren, he'll not get the­ money.

    If Raikonnen wants the money, he'll not get­ to go to Mclaren.

    You can't have it both ways!

    From Scottish C, on Mon 21 Sep 3:14AM
  12. Touron's big insider secret that Hamilton will be­ number 2 at McLaren next year.

    How can this be? Well,­ as Coulthard, Brundle Jordan & co discussed last­ week, if Ferrari have signed Alonso for next year and­ Massa is returning then Raikonnen needs to move on and­ Mclaren is 1 possible destination.

    This is of course­ specualtion, and guess work but that suits Touron's­ lies. If it turns out, he says he told you so, if it­ doens't he wasn't specific about any of it so­ you can't say he's a liar, except of course for­ the hundreds of lies he's told in the past.

    As­ Touron is an idiot, fantasist & racist with only­ slightly less vitreol than the clown­ "captainfantastic" (who's posts are soon­ to be removed so this won't make much sense soon). ­ Touron believes Mclaren will sign Raikonnen and he will­ be the number 1 driver, therefore Hamilton will be­ number 2.

    Well, all that might happen but I expect­ Hamilton has enough racing ability to compete with­ anyone currently in F1. If you compete with the guy­ regarded as the best driver in F1 (Alonso) when­ you're a rookie, then you're only going to be­ stronger with 3 years experience under your belt.

    From Scottish C, on Mon 21 Sep 3:00AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    we all a knew thata who a inherit a the 2008 a­ title­­­­ a­­ after a cheating a spying a stealing the­ a­­­ secrets­­ from­ a muclaren anda mr a glok a­ being­­­ abducted a by­­ the a­ Alien onna lasta bend­ onna­­ lasta­ race offa­­ season ,,mea­ thought itta­ could­­ nota get a­ worse,, a­­ now a new a­ chapter a­ inna­­ 2008 a season­ itta should­ a­ be a void a­­ season a­­ after all a the­­ controversy,,,a­ worse a­ season­­ inna­ F1 a history a 1­­ toa forget,,,a mr­ a­ hamilton­ asun­­ the a Fake anda­­ phoney a glok­ assisted­­ cheating 2008­ a­ title a­­­ holder............KEEP IT­­ ,,,itta­ worthless a­ even­ a­­ more a now

    From Potters, on Sun 20 Sep 11:16PM
  14. touronroute..you say you are at silverstone 7 days a­ week...didn't you say some time ago that you had to­ look after a disabled daughter?....liars need good­ memories!!!!

    From Wink, on Sun 20 Sep 10:33PM
  15. Touron I have been reading your posts for a few weeks­ now and I got to say that I find it all very­ entertaining. But 26 has to be the best, you must be­ living in some other world if you expect anyone to­ think that all the teams are talking to you about what­ they are planing.

    From adam, on Sun 20 Sep 10:28PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    we all a knew thata who a inherit a the 2008 a­ title­­­­ a­­ after a cheating a spying a stealing the­ a­­­ secrets­­ from­ a muclaren anda mr a glok a­ being­­­ abducted a by­­ the a­ Alien onna lasta bend­ onna­­ lasta­ race offa­­ season ,,mea­ thought itta­ could­­ nota get a­ worse,, a­­ now a new a­ chapter a­ inna­­ 2008 a season­ itta should­ a­ be a void a­­ season a­­ after all a the­­ controversy,,,a­ worse a­ season­­ inna­ F1 a history a 1­­ toa forget,,,a mr­ a­ hamilton­ asun­­ the a Fake anda­­ phoney a glok­ assisted­­ cheating 2008­ a­ title a­­­ holder............KEEP IT­­ ,,,itta­ worthless a­ even­ a­­ more a now

    From Potters, on Sun 20 Sep 10:11PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    we all a knew thata who a inherit a the 2008 a­ title­­­­ a­­ after a cheating a spying a stealing the­ a­­­ secrets­­ from­ a muclaren anda mr a glok a­ being­­­ abducted a by­­ the a­ Alien onna lasta bend­ onna­­ lasta­ race offa­­ season ,,mea­ thought itta­ could­­ nota get a­ worse,, a­­ now a new a­ chapter a­ inna­­ 2008 a season­ itta should­ a­ be a void a­­ season a­­ after all a the­­ controversy,,,a­ worse a­ season­­ inna­ F1 a history a 1­­ toa forget,,,a mr­ a­ hamilton­ asun­­ the a Fake anda­­ phoney a glok­ assisted­­ cheating 2008­ a­ title a­­­ holder............KEEP IT­­ ,,,itta­ worthless a­ even­ a­­ more a now

    From Potters, on Sun 20 Sep 10:11PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    we all a knew thata who a inherit a the 2008 a­ title­­­­ a­­ after a cheating a spying a stealing the­ a­­­ secrets­­ from­ a muclaren anda mr a glok a­ being­­­ abducted a by­­ the a­ Alien onna lasta bend­ onna­­ lasta­ race offa­­ season ,,mea­ thought itta­ could­­ nota get a­ worse,, a­­ now a new a­ chapter a­ inna­­ 2008 a season­ itta should­ a­ be a void a­­ season a­­ after all a the­­ controversy,,,a­ worse a­ season­­ inna­ F1 a history a 1­­ toa forget,,,a mr­ a­ hamilton­ asun­­ the a Fake anda­­ phoney a glok­ assisted­­ cheating 2008­ a­ title a­­­ holder............KEEP IT­­ ,,,itta­ worthless a­ even­ a­­ more a now

    From Potters, on Sun 20 Sep 10:11PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    we all a knew thata who a inherit a the 2008 a­ title­­­­ a­­ after a cheating a spying a stealing the­ a­­­ secrets­­ from­ a muclaren anda mr a glok a­ being­­­ abducted a by­­ the a­ Alien onna lasta bend­ onna­­ lasta­ race offa­­ season ,,mea­ thought itta­ could­­ nota get a­ worse,, a­­ now a new a­ chapter a­ inna­­ 2008 a season­ itta should­ a­ be a void a­­ season a­­ after all a the­­ controversy,,,a­ worse a­ season­­ inna­ F1 a history a 1­­ toa forget,,,a mr­ a­ hamilton­ asun­­ the a Fake anda­­ phoney a glok­ assisted­­ cheating 2008­ a­ title a­­­ holder............KEEP IT­­ ,,,itta­ worthless a­ even­ a­­ more a now

    From Potters, on Sun 20 Sep 10:10PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    we all a knew thata who a inherit a the 2008 a­ title­­­­ a­­ after a cheating a spying a stealing the­ a­­­ secrets­­ from­ a muclaren anda mr a glok a­ being­­­ abducted a by­­ the a­ Alien onna lasta bend­ onna­­ lasta­ race offa­­ season ,,mea­ thought itta­ could­­ nota get a­ worse,, a­­ now a new a­ chapter a­ inna­­ 2008 a season­ itta should­ a­ be a void a­­ season a­­ after all a the­­ controversy,,,a­ worse a­ season­­ inna­ F1 a history a 1­­ toa forget,,,a mr­ a­ hamilton­ asun­­ the a Fake anda­­ phoney a glok­ assisted­­ cheating 2008­ a­ title a­­­ holder............KEEP IT­­ ,,,itta­ worthless a­ even­ a­­ more a now

    From Krisis Point, on Sun 20 Sep 10:10PM
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