📜 The Case Overview
Felipe Massa is taking legal action against the FIA, Formula One Management (FOM) and former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, arguing that the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix scandal (‘Crashgate’) cost him the world championship. The case begins this week at London’s Royal Courts of Justice.
In Singapore, Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed to trigger a safety car, which helped teammate Fernando Alonso win the race. At the time, Massa had been leading the Grand Prix—only to suffer a botched Ferrari pit stop under the safety car and drop out of contention. He then lost the championship to Lewis Hamilton by just one point.
💷 What Massa Is Seeking
Massa is claiming around £64 million (approx. US $82 million) in damages. The sum covers what he alleges to have lost after being denied the 2008 world title—sponsorship income, prize money, bonuses and reputation. He is not seeking to have Hamilton stripped of the title.
🔍 Legal and Historical Hurdles
- One major obstacle: According to the FIA Sporting Code, results become final once the annual awards ceremony is held—making retrospective changes extremely difficult.
- Another: The defendants argue the case is time‑barred (too old) and the results have long been settled.
- Ecclestone had admitted that he and then‑FIA President Max Mosley knew about the crash scheme but decided against action to protect F1’s image. That admission plays a key role in Massa’s claim.
🧠 Why It Matters
For Massa: It’s about recognition—and justice. He argues that the scandal robbed him of his rightful title, and of the financial and personal benefits that accompany being a World Champion.
For F1 & the governing bodies: The case reopens one of the sport’s darkest chapters—raising questions about integrity, governance and whether victories can ever be overturned long after the fact.
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