SINGAPORE: Brazilian racing driver Felipe Massa filed a lawsuit in London’s High Court on Monday (March 11). Massa lost the Formula One world championship in 2008 by one point to Lewis Hamilton, in large part due to events at the Singapore Grand Prix that year.
The scandal, nicknamed “Crashgate” in the press, involves a deliberate crash on the part of Renault F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. so he could help out his teammate, Fernando Alonso.
Mr Massa believes that the championship should have been his. His lawsuit is against F1, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the body governing Formula 1, and former F1 head Bernie Ecclestone.
The Brazilian driver had been leading at the first-ever F1 night race up to the time of Piquet’s crash and had been five seconds ahead of Britain’s Hamilton.
After the crash, it was time to refuel, but Massa returned to the race with the fuel rig still attached to his car, forcing him to stop to remove it. He was also penalized for it and finished in 13th place.
In November, Mr Massa started a legal process to look into grounds to overturn the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix results.
Mr Ecclestone, who headed F1 then, said in 2023 that he and Max Mosely, then-president of FIA, knew what had happened shortly after the situation occurred.
“Mr Massa is seeking declarations that the FIA breached its regulations by failing to promptly investigate Nelson Piquet Junior’s crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, and that had it acted properly, Mr Massa would have won the drivers’ championship that year.
Mr Massa also seeks damages for the significant financial loss he has suffered due to the FIA’s failure, in which Mr Ecclestone and FOM were also complicit.
Attempts to find an amicable resolution have been unsuccessful, leaving Mr Massa with no choice but to initiate legal proceedings,” said Brazilian law firm Vieira Rezende Advogados.
Mr Hamilton, whose 2008 victory was the beginning of what has been a stellar career, has also commented on the matter, saying,
“If that’s the direction that Felipe wants to go, that’s his decision.
I prefer not to focus on the past. Whether it’s 15 years ago, two years ago, or three days ago, I’m only interested in the present.”
As for Mr Ecclestone, he said on March 11 that he “cannot say anything about the outcome and what will happen… from (Mr Massa’s) point of view, it is better that an English judge comes up with a verdict. It will be of more help for him.” /TISG
Read related: Ex FIA president: Singapore 2008 F1 result should have been cancelled due to “Crashgate” scandal
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