Almost two years after the event, Nelson Piquet Jr says Felipe Massa still blames him for his lost 2008 World title
Massa lost the Drivers' Championship title by one point that season, however, it could have been a different outcome had Piquet Jr not deliberately crashed during the Singapore GP.
Massa was leading that grand prix right up until Piquet Jr put his Renault into the wall, bringing out the Safety Car. And when the pit lane was opened, Massa, along with many of his rivals, pitted.
However, in a mad dash to get out as quickly as possible, the Ferrari driver drove off with his fuel hose still attached and dropped to last place in the race order.
Piquet Jr's Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso won the race while Massa's main rival for the title, Lewis Hamilton, finished in third place.
And ever since it emerged last season that Piquet Jr's crash had been deliberate, Massa has blamed the younger Brazilian for him losing the World title.
Speaking about his fellow Brazilian racers, Piquet Jr told Istoe magazine: "I got along well with him (Massa) and with Rubens Barrichello. Both always treated me very well, gave me tips on track as I knew less. We sat together in the drivers' meetings."
But after Singapore "it changed a lot. Massa was very upset with me because he thinks, to this day, that he lost the 2008 Championship because of me.
"It is no use arguing that he had a DNF in Hungary, that he and Ferrari made mistakes. Not to mention his lack of luck.
"For the love of God, that last lap in Interlagos was pure luck for Hamilton and bad luck for him. But he is still very upset. I understand but I don't suffer much with it anymore.
"I have never talked to him again. We stumble upon each other every now and then but we don't keep in touch."
Source: Planet-F1
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