In an interview with Sky Deutschland, the seven-time world champion compares the 2008 World Cup with that of last year: “They have in common the pain they leave behind. But in one of the two the result was decided and then verified on the track”
Federico Mariani
November 15th
From Interlagos to Yas Marina, from Brazil to Abu Dhabi. The 2022 F1 calendar places different places of memory in front of Lewis Hamilton. In the South American country, the epilogue of the 2008 World Cup smiled in extremis for the British, who conquered the first of seven titles in his career. In the Persian Gulf, on the other hand, the greatest sporting pain, with the insult received by Max Verstappen in a last lap full of controversy for the choices of the now ex race director Michael Masi. Except for the excitement of those moments, however, Hamilton finds no analogies and sinks the blow.
difference
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The 2008 World Cup is inevitably linked to Timo Glock. The Toyota driver was the involuntary referee of the championship: his difficulties due to the rain that fell in the final lap opened the gates of Paradise to Hamilton, fifth and world champion against Felipe Massa. In an interview for Sky Deutschland, led by the German himself, Lewis explains: “That World Cup was not manipulated. The same cannot be said for last year’s title.” Here the very hard lunge: “Someone decided that the result had to be the one that happened on the track. The two titles are similar only in the pain they cause once they are lost. But at least in 2008 it was not manipulated”.
the memory
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Hamilton’s reference inevitably goes to Michael Masi and the highly contested decision taken before the last lap. The then race director, in fact, only ordered the lapped cars placed between Lewis and Verstappen to split under the Safety Car. This allowed the Dutchman to get close to the British at the restart and, thanks to fresh tyres, Max managed to overtake his rival. A year later, the wound in Hamilton’s soul is still open, destined, perhaps, to never heal.
November 15, 2022 – 8:41 pm
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