Lewis Hamilton to be stripped of his first F1 title?

Seven-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton might be in danger of losing the first of those titles to legal action.

Following revelations made by Bernie Ecclestone, Felipe Massa has suggested that he is considering taking legal action against F1.

Could Lewis Hamilton lose his first F1 title?

Ecclestone recently admitted that the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix should have been cancelled retroactively once the sport’s bosses learned that Nelson Piquet Junior had intentionally crashed his Renault to aid the cause of his teammate Fernando Alonso.

ALSO READ: Why did F1 stop South African Grand Prix return?

Ecclestone told F1-insider: “Max Mosley [former FIA President] and I were informed during the 2008 season what had happened in the race in Singapore.

“We decided not to do anything for now. We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal.

ALSO READ: F1 fan left with deep cut after being hit by car debris

“According to the statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. That means it would never have happened for the championship standings.

“And then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.”

ALSO READ: Formula One: Every world champion to date

Felipe Massa talking to lawyers

Massa lost the championship by a single point and never came close to winning the title again.

ALSO READ: Lewis Hamilton opens up about pain of racial abuse at school

He has indicated that he is talking to lawyers about his options to hold someone accoutable for the ‘stolen’ championship.

“There is a rule that says that when a championship is decided, from the moment the driver receives the champion’s trophy, things can no longer be changed, even if it has been proven a theft,” Massa told Motorsport.com.

“At the time, Ferrari’s lawyers told me about this rule. We went to other lawyers and the answer was that nothing could be done. So I logically believed in this situation.

“But after 15 years, we hear that the [former] owner of the category says that he found out in 2008, together with the president of the FIA, and they did nothing [so as] to not tarnish the name of F1.

“This is very sad, to know the result of this race was supposed to be cancelled and I would have a title. In the end, I was the one who lost the most with this result.

“So, we are going after it to understand all this. There are rules, and there are many things that, depending on the country, you cannot go back after 15 years to resolve a situation.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY JAMES RICHARDSON