Formula 1 and IndyCar: The greatest lie ever told about open-wheel racing

By Asher Fair | May 18, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 29: J.R. Hildebrand driver of the #4 National Guard Panther Racing finishes second after crashing during the IZOD IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 29, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) /

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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 02: Felipe Massa of Brazil and Ferrari (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /

Felipe Massa – 2008 Formula One season

Heading into the 2008 Formula One season finale, the Brazilian Grand Prix at Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil, Lewis Hamilton held the lead in the drivers standings by seven points over Felipe Massa. Hamilton had 94 points coming into the race, while Massa had 87 points.

Up until this point in the season, both drivers had five victories to their names. Massa, who most Formula One fans think of immediately when discussing the 2008 Formula One championship, ended up dominating his home race from the pole position, as he led 64 of its 71 laps to claim his sixth victory of the season and the 10 points that went with it.

As a result of this win, Massa now had 97 points in the drivers standings. To win the championship, Hamilton needed 98 points since Massa had the tiebreaker over him thanks to his sixth win of the season, as Hamilton only won five races and could no longer win a sixth.

This meant that Hamilton needed to score at least four points to win the 2008 title, meaning he needed to finish in 5th place or higher to do so.

Here’s what happened.

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