Lewis Hamilton victory: a conspiracy? Send your comments

Less than 24 hours after Lewis Hamilton became the youngest ever F1 champion in the most extraordinary style, the conspiracy theorists have started work, David Byers writes.

How, they ask, could the German driver Timo Glock have lost speed as dramatically as he did on the final lap, allowing Hamilton to overtake and giving the British driver the crucial, fifth placed finish he needed to secure the title?

Those of us who don't believe in conspiracies point to the evidence - Glock's team had inexplicably chosen not to switch to wet weather tyres when it started raining, so his car was sliding all over the track by the last lap and Hamilton caught him up.

Indeed, Hamilton's team had strategically planned for that very outcome. Formula One tyres are made to have optimum operating temperatures - but they rapidly lose grip if they drop below this, and that hits their lap times.                                                 

Confronted with conspiracy suggestions after the race, the German driver reacted with astonishment, saying: “Six laps from the end I asked about the tyre situation, and about the weather conditions, and I said every time ’I’ll stay out, one more lap, one more lap’ and at the end I stayed out for the whole race. That last lap just cost us the chance to be in the top five, and in the end (decided) the world championship.”

But despite the seemingly conclusive evidence rejecting claims of foul play, do you still believe the conspiracy theories?

Post your views below.

Comments

[SA, Monmouth]

Complete and utter rubbish as anyone who follows F1 would know. We've seen Hamilton himself lose out in wet weather for failing to pit for tyres. It's a risk they take and Glock lost out this time and to the benefit of Hamilton.

[beau jeste]

Ferrari apologists will no doubt have something to say about it, despite concrete evidence to the contrary.

On the other hand some believe that Lewis threw away the championship last year (why would you anyone make such stupid mistakes?)in a deal with Max Mosely to avoid Mclaren being thrown out of the championship completely....

And this is meant to be sport?

Lewis deserves it and yes he's black(ish) - get over it!

[Henry]

Hamilton should have done better than just 5th. He should have won like a true champion in front of Ferrari.

[Agustin]

I don't see why Toyota would have helped Hamilton or McLaren. On the other hand, suposing Glock had changed his tyres, would have he finish ahead of Hamilton? Where is the telemetry?

[Steve J Rodgers]

If you look at the lap times, you'll see both Glock and Trulli suffering in the final two laps on the same dry tyres. Glock and Trulli were 0.29 seconds different on the final lap. How can there be a conspiracy theory with that evidence?

http://www.fia.com/brazilgp/documents/BRZ_08_Race_Lap_Analysis.pdf

[Johnjo]

Ridiculous ! Lewis won the F1 Champonionship on his own merit. Unlike some of his predecessors, he did not have to depend on a safety-car slot to catch up with the front-runners, nor did he have the luck to gain a better forward standing because none of the 4 other cars in front of him, broke down or had to retire, as happened last year.

[peter]

Rubbish of course, but it will be interesting to see if Mr Glock replaces Heikki sometime soon.....

[Simon]

It’s valid to ask if Glock threw 5th place on instructions, after all F1 is the home of skulduggery. Least we forget only last year one team was found to be in possession of a complete set of blueprints of another team's car. Er hum, Ron.

The facts are Glock did a 1.28 min penultimate lap, and a 1.45 min on his final lap. And no it wasn’t raining heavily, so there is very little to explain his sudden hitting of the brakes.

As ITV reported as the cars entered the final lap: “Glock’s sector times are perfectly healthy, he’s doing fine on the dry tyres”. So what happened? On the second from last lap (in which Vettal overtook Hamilton), Glock had achieved a 1.19 min.

Glock went into the final lap with a 15 second lead over Vettel, and an even larger lead over Hamilton. Most amateur racing drivers can defend that sort of margin for one lap, even on dry tyres in the damp. But it’s clear from the TV pictures that didn’t even attempt to defend his line, indeed for all intents and purposes he slowed and simply waved Hamilton through. This is extraordinary behaviour for a F1 driver within sight of the chequered flag.

To me it stinks.

If Glock was asked to go slow it would make sense for his team mate Trulli to be given similar instructions in the final lap to lend credibility, and so it proved.

I’ll be paying particular attention to any Mercedes – Toyota manufacturing, technology or other agreements over the next year or two. Big business considerations always seems to trump sport in F1.

[magic]

to be honnest, do you really believe Hamilton would celebrate his crown if, say, it had been Alonso instead of Glock?
Reasonable doubt remains I think (though it is too ugly to believe), for Glock did not show the eagerness of Vettel

[Alfonso]

No conspiracy here. Hamilton was first unluky with the rain as the race was very comfortable for him. But was luky at the end because should the rain have hold for half a minute (or less) then he would have finished 6th. From potentially being called 'eternal loser' to already being called 'the most taleneted ever' in just one final corner...

As I have said, after Alonso, he is the most talented driver outr there but he will not reach 7 WDC, not a chnace. remember this... (and maybe not even 3...

[magic]

Had it been Alonso instead of Glock, Hamilton would be sipping champagne in LA without a crown.
doubt remains as Glock somehow wouldn't fight as much as others did...
Trulli was not even competing for anything, was he?

[Raul]

Alonso the best driver of world. Puxa Alonso. Two champions of F1 for Alonso joderos ingleses de mierda.

[Bob Harvey]

Yes I believe this was a conspiracy.
I also believe in faries at the bottom of the garden and Santa Clause.
It's truer to say that Hamilton became champion despite a conspiracy, not because of one.

[JR (Ex. McLaren fan)]

Not a Hamilton fan, indeed having rightly critised both him and the McLaren team since Monaco 07 I'd rather have had anyone else and in particular FM win not just because he would have deserved the title but seems the kind of guy I'd enjoy having eat with the family.

After 2007, who would be surprised at anything that occurs in F1 but LH has won the title and is as deserving as FM so congratulations for the year to come. LH should make the best of it as I'd not expect a McLaren to win for another 9-years.

Next year Ferrari or the best driver McLaren couldn't keep, who many pundits said would never win another GP will continue as he's done in the latter part of this season and show everyone why he's beaten the great MS twice to win two WDC's. After which he'll go to Ferrari and win another five.

[jenny]

there will always be talk of conspiracy, basically because there is always someone that isn't happy with the outcome. lewis drove a fantastic season, and was arguably better than massa this year (one point better to be exact). massa did everything he could, luck wasn't on his side...its not the first time its happened to a driver (look at schumacher in brazil a few years ago)and probably wont be the last...but well done lewis and all the best for next year felippe!!

[Andy]

about 150million people watch every race world wide. the majority of those are supporting ferrari. As soon as it looks like they're having a bad day people start switching off suddenly advertising is worth less. Its been like this since 1999. Only england cares about Hamilton/McClaren and that just makes this even better. Its a shame Massa had to lose, I like him, he just races for ferrari. the FIA gave him an extra point by disqualifying another driver in Japan (i think), not to mention the 10 place penalty that hamilton received earlier in the season. thats the only reason Massa could have won. If there is any conspiracy its AGAINST Hamilton not for him. Bring on 2009. I cant wait! p.s. Hamilton, next time make sure you win it by race 14 like we know you can :)

[teamwork-toronto-ON]

Funny, the conspirancy theory is always because of the red cars!

If that happen for McLaren, I WELCOME IT!! at least we got it once!!

Many, many years of cheating from the maFIA and red cars, very, very tired!

But of course, when is conveniente for the red cars, it's a CONSPIRANCY THEORY!! . .

all very, very funny!!
thank you!

[Oneyoti]

The only conspiracy is the FIA bending over backwards in favour of Ferrari. Lewis shouldn't have even needed to race in Brazil, were it not for a ludicrous decision by the stewards at the Belgian GP, to award a stop and go penalty, even though Maclaren checked with the Race Director (obviously being well used to the potential scheming of the FIA & F1) that Lewis had done nothing wrong.

Then we have the ridiculous decision to only fine Massa in Valencia for infringing the rule concerning dangerous driving in the pit lane, a fine that was exactly double the punishment handed down to Lewis, during the same weekend for being late for a press conference!!!! At the Singapore GP, rather spookily, Massa infringed yet again in the pit lane, but on this occasion he was given a stop and go penalty. Why one wonders? Could it be that he was near last at the time and had about a 1% chance of scoring any points?

Another interesting decision at the Singapore GP was to delay the imposing of a stop and go penalty, on Nico Rosberg, for pitting during the Safety Car. The delay allowed him time to storm around the track and build up a sufficient lead on Lewis to allow him to re-join after his penalty ahead of Lewis. Paranoia??? The answer me this: Why did the stewards reach a decision of Massa’s pit-lane infringement, which was subjective BEFORE they reached a decision on Rosbergs penalty, which wasn’t subjective in the slightest, even though Massa’s event occurred after Rosberg’s?

FIA – Ferrari International Assistance. Always has been always will be.

[steve]

Of course there's a conspiracy, if there wasn't he'd have won WDC in China!

[j oddens]

The theory does not stand up . Ferrari can only blame themselves .They could have seen what Mclaren saw and could therfore have 'dropped' Hakenen (or whatever his name is) back to sit behind Glock to stop Hamilton from overtaking him.

[Filo]

No conspiracy. If Toyota wanted to give an advantage to Hamilton they would have stopped to change tyres and there would have been no conspiracy theory.
As for you Brits saying "FIA = Ferrari International Assistance" please NEVER FORGET that a British traitor mechanic STOLE Ferrari trade secrets and sold them to McLaren giving them a great advantage from them. Had the FIA been fair McLaren should have been disqualified for cheating and banned from 2008 WC.

[SL]

Here are some stats taken from the FIA website.

Times at Spa by Hamilton and Massa, both on slicks
Lap-----HAM---------MAS
41----1:49.714----1:49.802
44----2:36.187----2:45.209

Hamilton's time deteriorated by 46.473 seconds (42%), Massa's by 55.407 seconds (50%)

Now for Glock at Interlagos
Lap-----GLO
69----1:18.688
71----1:44.731

Glock's time at Interlagos deteriorated by 26.043 seconds (33%)

Hopefully that'll settle it.