Felipe Massa Gives Update on $82 Million Lawsuit over Crashgate scandal

Felipe Massa spoke up on his lawsuit against F1 over the infamous 2008 Crashgate scandal ahead of the trial.

Felipe Massa Gives Update on $82 Million Lawsuit over Crashgate scandal

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Lewis Hamilton won his first driver’s title in the 2008 season against Felipe Massa in a highly controversial manner. The infamous Crashgate scandal at the 2008 Singaporean GP caused Massa to lose out on a crucial point in the standings, which caused him to lose the title at the end of the season. Following reports that F1 was aware about the scandal, the Brazilian filed a lawsuit in 2024, seeking around $82 million as compensation, among other things. Now, the 44-year-old has provided updates on this lawsuit and his game plan regarding the lawsuit’s progress.

During the 2008 Singaporean GP, Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed his car into the barriers, calling out the safety car. This resulted in Felipe Massa losing the race, which was ultimately a crucial point that cost him victory. Subsequently, Piquet Jr. accepted the team’s wrongdoings and how he was asked to crash on purpose. The team was sanctioned, fines were imposed, and some members were banned from the sport, but the results did not change, causing Massa to still lose the title.

Come March 2024, Felipe Massa officially filed a lawsuit against the FIA, the FOM, and the then F1 chief, Bernie Ecclestone. In the lawsuit, Massa sought a declaration that the governing body breached the rules, and if they had been followed, the former would have been the rightful winner of the 2008 driver’s title. Now, the Brazilian revealed how long he was willing to pursue the legal battle.

Felipe Massa asserted that such conduct by a governing body was unacceptable in any sphere of life. For a sport to be called the pinnacle of motorsport and make such mistakes was furthermore intolerable. As such, Massa declared that he would pursue the lawsuit until the very end and achieve a fair outcome, not only for himself, but for the motorsport of Brazil, his fans, and everyone else involved as a whole.

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.

Felipe Massa told The Times

Felipe Massa reveals key to prevent such ‘fraud’ in future

Felipe Massa lost out on his coveted maiden championship win in Formula 1 in the 2008 season. The Brazilian driver could have etched his name in history if he had won that year. However, because of a scandal involving the rival teams, Massa couldn’t win his title. As such, the 44-year-old talked about ways to prevent such fraud against deserving drivers in the future.

Felipe Massa with Lewis Hamilton (via Sky Sports)
Felipe Massa with Lewis Hamilton (via Sky Sports)

Felipe Massa insisted that accountability was one of the key aspects in avoiding such fraud in the future. Massa declared that people who were entrusted to protect the sport and its interests directly had violated their duties. Further, he continued that such people cannot be allowed to benefit from others’ downfall, while hiding their own blunders, while governing a sport of such massive intensity as Formula 1.

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.

Felipe Massa noted

For now, no concrete solution has come up in Felipe Massa’s legal lawsuit against the sport. A hearing is set for late October this year as he hopes to win the battle. The 2008 season’s title can be awarded as a joint title if Massa wins the battle, but he doesn’t want to exclusively strip Lewis Hamilton of his maiden F1 title win that year. Hence, time will tell about how the lawsuit pans out.

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