Felipe Massa takes the next step to reclaim the 2008 F1 title from Lewis Hamilton, assembles a team of lawyers for his legal battle
The Brazilian is intent on being awarded the title and has initiated the next steps in order to dispute it
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Felipe Massa lost the 2008 title to Lewis Hamilton
Bernie Ecclestone recently confessed that he and former FIA president Max Mosely were aware of the Crashgate controversy of the 2008 Singapore GP. Ecclestone tried to justify his decision not to interview in the race result, claiming the suppression of the information was to ‘protect the integrity of the sport’. These events eventually led to Felipe Massa losing the title to Lewis Hamilton. The former driver has chosen to dispute the integrity of Hamilton’s win after new revelations.
Felipe Massa is now seeking justice, and earlier expressed his intent to ‘study the situation’. He admitted his chances were slim but wanted to explore all the possibilities. He also made his motives clear, stating, “ I would never go after it thinking financially. I would go after it thinking about justice. I think if you’ve been punished for something that wasn’t your fault, and it’s the product of a robbery, a stolen race, justice has to be served. In fact, the right situation is to cancel the result of that race. It is the only justice that can be done in a case like this.”
According to Motorsport.com, Massa has now taken further action by assembling a legal team, who are currently investigating the events of the scandal and are pursuing various possibilities in hopes of discovering something that will hand him the title. The Brazilian will also not be making any public statements at this time regarding the case, while he pursues vindication.
The Crashgate Scandal of 2008 jeopardized the credibility and future of F1
Crashgate was a Formula One scandal that unfolded during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix and involved Renault’s driver, Nelson Piquet Jr., intentionally crashing his car to manipulate the race result. The incident had implications for Felipe Massa, who was driving for Ferrari at the time and was in contention for the 2008 drivers’ championship.
As a result of Piquet Jr.’s intentional crash, the safety car was deployed, giving a significant advantage to his Renault teammate, Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race. This turn of events denied Massa, who was leading the race at that time, a crucial victory. It cost him valuable points in the drivers’ championship battle against Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.
The scandal came to light after Piquet Jr. revealed the premeditated crash to FIA officials, probing an investigation into the matter. Although Massa was not directly involved in the scandal, the incident had an impact on his championship aspirations for the 2008 season. Massa eventually finished second in the drivers’ standings, just one point behind Hamilton, after the results of the Singapore Grand Prix influenced the standings extensively.
The Crashgate scandal was a significant controversy in Formula One, shedding light on unethical practices and the potential for race manipulation. It had repercussions not only for Renault and Piquet Jr. but also for Massa and the overall outcome of the 2008 drivers’ championship. Thus, with information from Ecclestone coming to light, Massa’s feelings and intentions are understandable. However, the outcome of this legal case is yet to be seen.
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Justin P Joy
(4970 Articles Published)