Moss says championship not tainted

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said recently that he believed Hamilton would have to thank Ferrari if he wins, on the back of the spy saga that has dominated headlines this year.

"I still think that in the spying affair it was a big mistake not to disqualify the McLaren drivers as well," the Gazzetta dello Sport website quoted him as saying.

"It means that if Hamilton wins the championship, he will also win it thanks to Ferrari because there is a lot of Ferrari in his car."

But Moss has dismissed such claims, and thinks Hamilton will be a worthy winner if he can hold onto his advantage at the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix.

When asked how much of Hamilton's success would be tainted if he was champion, Moss told the BBC Inside Sport programme: "I don't think any of it.

"Honestly I don't think he had any help and he certainly didn't need any help to win. That is the point. And thank goodness he wasn't involved in it; the others were a bit more involved than he was."

Moss said Ferrari's comments were entirely predictable, but thinks the Italian team should simply accept that if they are beaten by Hamilton then it will be because they did not do a good enough job.

"That is what they have to say," he said about Ferrari's comments. "Ferrari have got a good team, great cars and two jolly good drivers too. But I am afraid not quite as good as ours. What can you say?"

When asked whether or not he believed Hamilton would eventually win the championship in Brazil, Moss said: "I'm convinced he will. If the best man wins, he will win it."