Formula One news

'Crashgate did not help me to title' - Hamilton

Champion Lewis Hamilton has moved to hush claims that the highly controversial 'Crashgate' situation helped him win his first Formula One crown last year. The Englishman made the comments at Suzuka on Friday in response to rival Felipe Massa's belief that the Renault incident did play a significant part in the title race.

Massa has described 'Crashgate' as 'robbery'

With Nelson Piquet Jr. having crashed deliberately in Singapore, the subsequent rush led to race leader Massa pulling away in the pit lane whilst the fuel hose was still connected, losing him the race. With Hamilton having clinched the Drivers' Championship by a single point in Brazil three races later, Brazilian Massa has suggested that the race-fixing saga eventually robbed him of the number one spot.

"First I should say that it's good to hear Felipe is recovering well and that he's back to his normal self," McLaren driver Hamilton said in Japan. "I'm shocked to hear him say that because I've always felt that he's a fair driver and he knows that we had a fair battle right to the end - at least that's how I saw it.

"All we can say is that it was a tough season and that things happened; there were lots of 'what-ifs' throughout the season, so I'm a bit surprised to hear him say that because I thought we had quite a fair battle and that I won it fair and square…so it doesn't matter to me what he said."

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