Felipe Massa is seeking up to $82 million (£60 million) in damages
in the 'Crashgate' lawsuit against Formula One Management, the FIA
and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. The former Ferrari driver
will travel to London next month with his first appearance in the
High Court set to take place on October 28. Massa's lawsuit
surrounds the 2008 'Crashgate' scandal, which saw Renault instruct
its driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to purposefully crash in the Singapore
Grand Prix. It occurred while Massa was leading, with the
Brazilian having ended up finishing in 13th after a poor pit stop
which was completed under the safety car for the recovery of
Piquet's Renault. Massa went on to lose the drivers' title to
Lewis Hamilton by a single point. A year later, Renault were
punished once the scandal came to light; however, the lawsuit is
tied to comments made by Ecclestone in 2023. During an interview
with German publication F1 Insider , Ecclestone revealed that he
and then-FIA president Max Mosley were aware in 2008 of what
Renault had done. Despite discovering what had happened in
Singapore, Ecclestone admitted that the sport's authorities opted
against taking action, in an bid to protect the championship from a
"huge scandal". It was shortly after these comments that legal
proceedings were announced by Massa. The claims have been denied by
Ecclestone, the FIA and Formula One Management. According to The
Times, Massa will be represented next month by Nick de Marko KC,
with the Brazilian having told the British publication ahead of his
court appearance: "Accountability is key to preventing future
fraud. "Those entrusted with protecting the sport directly violated
their duties, and they cannot be allowed to benefit from concealing
their own misconduct. "Such conduct is unacceptable in any sphere
of life, especially in a sport followed by millions, including
children. "We will pursue this to the very end in order to achieve
a just and fair outcome — for myself, for motorsport in Brazil, and
for the sport as a whole."
in the 'Crashgate' lawsuit against Formula One Management, the FIA
and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. The former Ferrari driver
will travel to London next month with his first appearance in the
High Court set to take place on October 28. Massa's lawsuit
surrounds the 2008 'Crashgate' scandal, which saw Renault instruct
its driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to purposefully crash in the Singapore
Grand Prix. It occurred while Massa was leading, with the
Brazilian having ended up finishing in 13th after a poor pit stop
which was completed under the safety car for the recovery of
Piquet's Renault. Massa went on to lose the drivers' title to
Lewis Hamilton by a single point. A year later, Renault were
punished once the scandal came to light; however, the lawsuit is
tied to comments made by Ecclestone in 2023. During an interview
with German publication F1 Insider , Ecclestone revealed that he
and then-FIA president Max Mosley were aware in 2008 of what
Renault had done. Despite discovering what had happened in
Singapore, Ecclestone admitted that the sport's authorities opted
against taking action, in an bid to protect the championship from a
"huge scandal". It was shortly after these comments that legal
proceedings were announced by Massa. The claims have been denied by
Ecclestone, the FIA and Formula One Management. According to The
Times, Massa will be represented next month by Nick de Marko KC,
with the Brazilian having told the British publication ahead of his
court appearance: "Accountability is key to preventing future
fraud. "Those entrusted with protecting the sport directly violated
their duties, and they cannot be allowed to benefit from concealing
their own misconduct. "Such conduct is unacceptable in any sphere
of life, especially in a sport followed by millions, including
children. "We will pursue this to the very end in order to achieve
a just and fair outcome — for myself, for motorsport in Brazil, and
for the sport as a whole."
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