Massa claims Ferrari silenced him over crashgate

Massa Claims Ferrari Tried to Silence Him over 2008 Crashgate

Felipe Massa told a London court that Ferrari attempted to prevent him from speaking about the 2008 "crashgate" scandal. He also stated that his then-future teammate Fernando Alonso was aware of the deliberate crash from the beginning.

Massa’s Testimony

"In October 2009, I told journalists that I believe Fernando Alonso knew the crash was intentional,"

Massa testified as part of his lawsuit against the FIA, Formula 1, and former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone. He said his assertion was not well-received at the time.

Pressure from Ferrari

Massa claims Ferrari’s contract management company, GSA, drafted an official letter urging him to retract his comments. The letter was signed by Henry Peter, the Swiss lawyer representing Ferrari.

According to Massa, Ferrari wanted him to make a public statement, but he refused. He explained,

"Ferrari then prepared a statement for me, but I refused to release it. Instead, I simply said it was time to look ahead."

Insight on the Crashgate Incident

Massa, who lost the 2008 World Championship by just one point to Lewis Hamilton, also said that Jean Todt, Ferrari’s team principal at the time and father of Massa’s manager Nicolas Todt, already believed the Renault crash was deliberate.

"Todt said he was convinced Nelsinho had crashed the car on purpose,"

Massa added, "I didn’t believe it at the time because I knew how much Jean disliked Flavio Briatore."

Summary

The testimony highlights internal conflict and attempts to control the narrative around the "crashgate" scandal within Ferrari, shedding light on the team dynamics and suspicions surrounding the incident.

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Nextgen-Auto.com Nextgen-Auto.com — 2025-11-03

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