Felipe Massa Updates Martin Brundle on £64m F1 2008 Title Court Case
Felipe Massa provided an update on his ongoing legal battle regarding the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship.
Background of the Case
The former Ferrari driver is pursuing £64 million in damages from former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone, Formula 1, and the FIA. The claim relates to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix 'Crashgate' scandal, which Massa believes cost him the championship that year.
- Massa was leading the Singapore race when Renault's Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed, triggering a Safety Car.
- This incident helped teammate Fernando Alonso to victory.
- During the Safety Car period, Ferrari pitted Massa but the stop was mishandled, causing him to finish outside the points.
Legal Arguments
Massa’s legal team asserts that Bernie Ecclestone was aware the crash was intentional and that the FIA failed to properly investigate to protect Formula 1's reputation. Massa claims that if immediate action had been taken, the race would have been canceled or the results altered, potentially making him 2008 World Champion.
2008 Championship Outcome
Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 World Championship by a single point over Massa at the final race in Brazil.
Massa's Statement to Sky Sports F1
“Looking forward for the justice," Massa said. "I don’t deserve what happened to me to anybody. We did what we were supposed to do with the lawyers in the court and now we wait for the decision.”
The 44-year-old Brazilian spoke with Martin Brundle on the grid ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.