Felipe Massa is hoping to convey his authorized problem towards Method 1, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone to trial after a date has been set for October – however it may by no means make it that far.
The previous Ferrari driver is in search of damages, having been narrowly overwhelmed to the F1 drivers’ title by Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
The claims are primarily based on the Singapore Grand Prix ‘Crashgate’ incident, which noticed Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately slam into the obstacles to convey out a security automotive and assist team-mate Fernando Alonso in securing the victory.
Listed as a breach of contract declare, it’s slated to be heard on the King’s Bench Division of the Excessive Courtroom, though Motorsport.com understands there’s a strike-out software which may see the case thrown out earlier than it begins.
The defendants (F1, FIA and Ecclestone) are more likely to have claimed there is no such thing as a substance to Massa’s case, which may very well be linked to the speculative end result of the 2008 title combat and if the Singapore fallout ought to have been dealt with in another way.
Massa finally missed out on the title by a single level, having completed down in thirteenth in Singapore after qualifying on pole and main the race earlier than Piquet’s misdemeanour.
Nelson Piquet Jr., Renault R28 crashes into the wall
Photograph by: Sutton Pictures
Final 12 months, the Brazilian introduced he deliberate to take F1, FIA and Ecclestone to courtroom after the latter gave an interview by which he revealed that he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew concerning the controversy surrounding Piquet’s crash earlier than the tip of the 2008 season.
Ecclestone, who has since claimed he has no recollection of the interview, advised F1-Insider in April 2023: “In accordance with the statutes, we should always have cancelled the race in Singapore beneath these circumstances.
“Meaning it might by no means have occurred for the world championship standings. Then Felipe Massa would have turn into world champion and never Lewis Hamilton…at the moment I’d have organized issues in another way.”
Ecclestone went on to say that he and Mosley didn’t take motion in order to not “hurt the picture” of F1 however has since admitted he understands why Massa has taken authorized motion.
These feedback will type the premise of Massa’s case, along with his defence claiming he was the sufferer of a conspiracy – not in relation to the Piquet incident in Singapore, however moderately over the occasions that adopted.
Massa is in search of monetary recompense for the income he misplaced for not being topped world champion and now has his courtroom date set, a 12 months and half after Ecclestone’s revelations first led to the 43-year-old starting authorized proceedings.
Talking final October, Massa stated: “I hope the proper factor occurs, for justice, for one thing that was not a part of the game that punished me massive time.
“That is what we’re preventing for, which I imagine is appropriate, particularly after 16 years and on listening to issues which you by no means thought it was actually like that.”
On this article
Mark Mann-Bryans
Method 1
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