Felipe Massa must wait for a judge’s ruling regarding his legal case against Bernie Ecclestone, the FIA, and Formula One Management over the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship. After three days of hearings in London, the judge announced that a decision will follow to determine whether Massa's $82 million compensation claim will proceed to a full trial.
Massa, a former Ferrari driver, claims he was unfairly denied the 2008 title due to the "Crashgate" scandal at the Singapore Grand Prix. During that race, Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr intentionally crashed to assist his teammate Fernando Alonso. Massa started from pole position but lost points after a pit-stop error during the Safety Car period caused by the crash.
“He was ‘cheated’ out of the title and lost big earnings and sponsorships.”
“Massa’s claim [is] overly ambitious and a misguided attempt to reopen the 2008 championship.”
Author’s summary: Felipe Massa’s legal battle over the 2008 F1 title remains undecided as the court contemplates whether his compensation claim will proceed to trial.