The preliminary investigation in the lawsuit of former driver Felipe Massa against Formula 1, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone was concluded on Friday. At the High Court in London, the Brazilian demanded recognition as the rightful world champion and damages of over 80 million dollars. According to Massa’s lawyer, the defendants ‘deliberately concealed’ the 2008 ‘crashgate’ scandal, causing the ex-Ferrari driver to lose the title to Lewis Hamilton.
When former F1 Supremo Bernie Ecclestone admitted in a 2023 interview that he had intentionally wanted to cover up crashgate at the time, Felipe Massa took legal action. The former driver argues that the handling of the scandal – or lack thereof – ultimately cost him the title. He sued Ecclestone, FOM, and the FIA. The first hearings took place in London last week; the High Court must now determine whether the case warrants a full trial.
Nick De Marco KC, Massa’s lawyer, stated that the Formula 1 top brass were involved in the ‘deliberate concealment’ of the events in Singapore to protect their own interests. “Crashgate threatened the lives of spectators and the driver involved,” argued De Marco. “What followed was the deliberate concealment of this conspiracy – also by those responsible for protecting the integrity of the sport. There was a deliberate conspiracy to cover up one of the most serious scandals in the history of Formula 1.”
Massa Criticized by Ecclestone, FOM, and FIA
Ecclestone’s lawyer, the renowned sports jurist David Quest KC, stated that his client cannot recall the interview. According to him, the lawsuit is merely ‘a misguided attempt to reopen the results of the 2008 Formula 1 season.’ Quest said, “These claims treat the court as a sports debate club and ask it to reason counterfactually about the arbitration of a sports event that took place almost seventeen years ago.” He also argued that the eventual world champion, Lewis Hamilton, was equally affected by the crash.
Anneliese Day KC, the representative of FOM, stated in writing that the court will dismiss the claim, partly due to Massa’s own actions in the remaining rounds of the Singapore GP. “In reality, it was not the safety car that changed history for Mr. Massa, but a series of subsequent mistakes by him and his team,” the statement reads.
Massa also received a rebuke from the FIA. “Mr. Massa’s claim is as vexing as it is overly ambitious,” said the global motorsport organization. “A multimillionaire and resident of Brazil is filing a claim in the jurisdiction of England and Wales. This is based on an alleged violation of the FIA’s supranational regulations, a private international sports organization based in France. The claim relates to events during and around the Singapore GP, now more than seventeen years ago. Mr. Massa’s claim also ignores a series of mistakes that he or his team, Ferrari, made during the Singapore GP and other races.”
