F1
“Crashgate” and loss of the 1 F2008 title: Massa sues the FIA, FOM and Ecclestone
© Antonin Vincent / DPPI
A new episode in Felipe Massa's quest to regain the 2008 world champion title. The Brazilian driver's lawyers announced this Monday that they were taking legal action before the High Court in London (United Kingdom) against Formula One Management (FOM), the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Bernie Ecclestone (former boss of the FOM, in 2008).
Last October, Felipe Massa's lawyers had issued an ultimatum to the F1 and to the International Automobile Federation (FIA) to respond to the threat of legal action concerning the loss of the 2008 world champion title. A brief reminder of the history: considering themselves wronged in the loss of the title world in 2008, Felipe Massa and his lawyers sent a letter to F1 and the FIA in August 2023 to obtain financial damages. In the absence of a convincing response, the Paulist threatened legal action to recover, fifteen years later, the title obtained by Lewis Hamilton.
ALSO READ > Massa launches steps to obtain compensation for loss of title in 2008
The former pilot of Ferrari, now 42 years old, says that a “conspiracy” deprived him of the world title, particularly in connection with Crashgate of which Bernie Ecclestone, the former big boss of F1, was aware, even before the end of the 2008 season. Felipe Massa and his lawyers therefore felt that they had given enough time before carrying out their threat...
"Mr. Massa is seeking declarations that the FIA breached its regulations by failing to promptly investigate Nelson Piquet Jr.'s accident at the 2008 Singapore GP, and that if it had acted properly, Mr. Massa would have won the drivers' championship that year, we can read in the press release published by Felipe Massa's Brazilian lawyers. Mr Massa is also seeking damages for the significant financial loss he suffered as a result of the FIA's failure, in which Mr Ecclestone and the FOM were also complicit. » Felipe Massa would claim a sum of 80 million dollars, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“As Mr Ecclestone admitted, there was “sufficient information in time to investigate the matter” in 2008 and “cancel the race in Singapore”. Mr Ecclestone also claimed that if the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix had been annulled, "Felipe Massa would have become world champion" and that Mr Massa "was deprived of the title he deserved". Attempts at an amicable resolution were unsuccessful, which means that Mr. Massa has no choice but to initiate legal proceedings., the statement said.
ALSO READ > Massa does not budge: “I am the 16th F1 champion for Ferrari! »
Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
Continue reading on these topics:
Read also
Comments
*The space reserved for logged in users. Please connect to be able to respond or post a comment!
6 Comment (s)
To write a comment
DANIEL MEYERS
12/03/2024 at 10:43 a.m.
In the end this wouldn't be such bad news for Hamilton. If Massa won his case (which will not be the case!) LH would have no difficulty recovering the 2021 title!
Jacques Morin
12/03/2024 at 10:24 a.m.
Yes, it's a little late to come back to this. Nevertheless, we can understand Massa's bitterness since he knows that both the FIA and the FOM suspected major fraud in the days following Singapore. And that they left dust on the carpet... He will not recover the title because indeed, other things could have happened and the victory was not acquired, but a nice compensation without doubt for the damage morale and above all a fine for the FIA and the FOM for having covered up acts of corruption. And British justice is not kidding about that. And on this point it is justice, indeed. Oddly, not a single line on the official website at the end ;-)
Robert Plutier
12/03/2024 at 08:58 a.m.
The way is clear now, Massa's manager (Fils Todt) can calmly attack the institution, the father is no longer president in office.
SYLVAIN DUCREUX
11/03/2024 at 09:52 a.m.
I don't see how we could judge a completely hypothetical situation, 15 years after the fact when it is already difficult to decide on the facts of crossing the white line 1 hour after the race! And if the race had been canceled during the season, perhaps this increase in points would have put more pressure on him and he would have performed less well to finish 4th behind Raikkonen and Kubica? So he actually owes money? :-D Massa is ridiculous!
Eric Stevens
11/03/2024 at 07:37 a.m.
anything ! he was already not great as a pilot, now he's not even worse! it's not the crashgate (which doesn't do Alonso any credit) that caused him to walk away with the gas pipe, we don't remake history with "ifs". I hope the authorities will send him into the wall! poor frustrated man! you're not capable of being world champion, you're bad, you're bad..
YVES CHAMPOD
11/03/2024 at 06:44 a.m.
F1 is becoming pathetic, may it disappear, for the greater good of this "sporting" discipline, and may it come back healthier, in a few years! ! !