‘Crashgate’ is unarguably the most despicable episode of cheating ever discovered in sport. The real loser of the sorry episode is Felipe Massa.
The Ferrari driver arrived in Singapore last season one point behind Lewis Hamilton, and with four races remaining Massa left seven points behind Hamilton, despite leading the race at the time of ‘crashgate’.
We now know from the testimony of Pat Symonds, the Renault Executive Director of Engineering that, prior to the race, he and Flavio Briatore, the Renault team manager, instructed their second driver, Nelson Piquet Junior, to deliberately crash. They specified that the crash take place on lap 13 and at corner 17 so that the other Renault driver, Fernando Alonso, would be given the best chance of winning the race.
The sting was that Alonso, starting from 15th place on the grid, was lightly fuelled and faster than the cars around him. He made up four places in 12 laps before refuelling.
After Piquet’s crash, the safety car was deployed for five laps, compacting the field and closing the pits. However, some teams running light fuel loads were forced into the pits for fuel and received a stop and go penalty as a result.
Massa was leading the race at the time of the accident, with Lewis Hamilton in second place. In the confusion that ensued, Massa and his third placed teammate Kimi Raikkonen entered the pits together. Massa left with the fuel hose still attached to his car and received a drive through penalty because of this mistake, ending any chance of him winning the race or finishing ahead of Hamilton.
By the time all cars had made their pit stops, Alonso was leading the race, and maintained this lead to the chequered flag. Hamilton finished 3rd and extended his points lead over Massa to seven points.
Hamilton eventually won the Formula 1 World Championship by one point.
There is no such thing as a safe, controllable accident in a Formula 1 car, and in particular on a street circuit. Despite this Briatore and Symonds asked Piquet to risk his life to win a car race.
Both owe Piquet a duty of care. Flavio Briatore was also Nelson Piquet Jr’s business manager.
I hope that every party seeks full recompense for the actions of these two desperate, misguided men.
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