When Felipe Massa crossed the line to win the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, he was a Formula 1 world champion for a fleeting 39 seconds – until Lewis Hamilton’s late pass on Timo Glock handed the title to the Briton by a single point.

Seventeen years later, that margin is back under scrutiny in court, with Massa arguing that the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix – the infamous ‘Crashgate’ race – was manipulated and should be annulled. The Brazilian is seeking to be recognised as the rightful 2008 champion, as well

But in their defence, the FIA’s, Formula One Management’s and Bernie Ecclestone’s lawyers have taken a different view, claiming Massa’s downfall was not the result of a conspiracy, but a season littered with his own and Ferrari’s mistakes.

They have a case to make. Over the course of that turbulent year, Massa and Ferrari combined sublime pace with costly errors – spins, botched pitstops, and mechanical failures that bled points away one by one.

From his spin while chasing Kimi Räikkönen in Malaysia to the pitlane chaos in Singapore, the story of Massa’s 2008 campaign was one of brilliance undermined by moments of chaos.

Here’s a look at all the errors that contributed, on top of Crashgate, to Massa losing the title.

2008 Australian GP – Spun off at the start, hit Coulthard, retired with engine failure

Massa’s 2008 season began in disastrous fashion in Australia. Starting fourth, he spun at the first corner on cold tyres and hit the barriers, dropping to the back before mounting a short-lived recovery.

His race unravelled further when he collided with Coulthard’s Red Bull while attempting an overtake, damaging his front wing and prompting a pitstop.

Later, an engine failure sealed his retirement — one of several mechanical issues that plagued Ferrari early in the season.

2008 Australian GP results, news and features

2008 Malaysian GP – Spun out of second place

At the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix, Massa looked set for an easy Ferrari one-two behind team-mate Kimi Räikkönen after comfortably running in second place.

However, on lap 30, while trying to keep pace with his team-mate, Massa lost control under braking for Turn 8 and spun into the gravel, beaching the car and ending his race on the spot.

The spin cost him eight points – a potentially decisive loss in a championship.

2008 Malaysian GP results, news and features

Monaco GP – Went off while leading

Monaco had all the makings of a breakthrough win for Massa after he took pole in wet conditions and led through the early stages, but a mistake at Sainte Devote on lap 16 saw him slide wide and surrender the lead to Robert Kubica.

Though he recovered to reclaim track position during the pitstops, Ferrari’s strategy to switch him to dry tyres a few laps too early left him struggling for grip.

Massa finished third, but the result could have been a victory.

2008 Monaco GP results, news and features

Canadian GP – Pitted twice in a row due to a technical issue

Although not his mistake, in Canada, Massa was let down by a mix of Ferrari misjudgement and pitlane chaos.

After stopping under the safety car, Ferrari failed to give him enough fuel due to a technical problem, forcing him to pit again the very next lap and dropping him to the back of the field.

From there, Massa mounted a pretty impressive recovery drive, pulling off one of the overtakes of the season as he sliced past Rubens Barrichello and Heikki Kovalainen in one move at the hairpin.

But fifth place was a poor return from a race he might have won.

2008 Canadian GP results, news and features

British GP – Spun five times in the wet

The British Grand Prix was one of Massa’s most difficult days of his career.

In torrential rain at Silverstone, the Ferrari driver spun five times during the race. While team-mate Räikkönen at least stayed on the road, Massa’s F2008 looked almost undriveable in his hands as he slipped from one mistake to another.

He eventually trailed home 13th and last of the classified runners, over a lap behind.

2008 British GP results, news and features

Hungarian GP – Engine failure with three laps to go while leading

Like in Canada, Massa’s Hungarian GP heartbreak was beyond his control.

The Brazilian produced one of his finest drives of the 2008 season in Hungary, transforming third on the grid into the race lead with a great move around the outside of Lewis Hamilton at the first corner.

From there, he controlled proceedings and victory seemed certain – until disaster struck with just three laps remaining, when his Ferrari engine expired spectacularly on the main straight.

The failure transformed 10 championship points into another painful loss.

2008 Hungarian GP results, news and features

2008 Singapore GP – Pitstop fiasco

The race Massa’s legal case against the FIA centres on, and which, in hindsight, reshaped that year’s championship.

The Brazilian had dominated qualifying and led comfortably until Nelson Piquet Jr’s deliberate crash brought out the safety car, triggering the ‘Crashgate’ scandal.

Ferrari’s response was a disaster: Massa was released from his pit box with the fuel hose still attached, dragging it down the pitlane before stopping for removal. He also then had to serve a penalty for an unsafe release.

The incident dropped him from first to last, and he finished 13th and outside of the points.

2008 Singapore GP results, news and features

Japanese GP – Hit Hamilton, got a drive-through penalty

The 2008 Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji was another race where Massa’s title challenge faltered.

Starting fifth, he tangled with Hamilton on the opening lap as both drivers ran wide at Turn 1, but worse was to come when Massa clipped Hamilton’s McLaren while trying to repass him.

The contact spun Hamilton around and earned Massa a drive-through penalty.

Though he recovered to finish seventh, the penalty and lost time cost Massa several valuable points.

2008 Japanese GP results, news and features