’s authorized case over the 2008 Components 1 Crashgate scandal begins on Wednesday on the Excessive Courtroom in London
Ex-F1 driver Massa is in search of £60m in damages from F1, the FIA and Ecclestone over an alleged cover-up of the scandal on the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, when Nelson Piquet Jnr crashed intentionally below instruction from his Renault staff.
Commercial
The next affect of the crash, Massa argues, value him the 2008 F1 world championship, which claimed on the , with Ferrari star Massa lacking out by one level.
Having filed swimsuit in London’s Excessive Courtroom final March, the case will start on Wednesday. Massa can be represented by Nick de Marco KC. But Ecclestone, who was the F1 boss on the time, has disregarded Massa’s declare out of hand.
“There isn’t a method on the earth anybody may change or cancel that race,” Ecclestone, 94, informed final month. “There’s all the time one thing happening the place somebody want to cancel it if they may.
“To attempt to persuade the president of the to name a particular assembly the place the FIA must cancel the race — there have been no provisions for that to occur.
Commercial
“Max [Mosley, former FIA president] knew there was not sufficient proof on the time to do something. It solely began later when younger Nelson determined he wished to say one thing when he came upon he was not going to get a seat for the next 12 months.
“Max was not saying we should always cowl this up however simply that it was not good for the picture of Components 1.”
New feedback in 2023, by Ecclestone, concerning the scandal in Singapore are what triggered Maasa to take authorized motion, with the Brazilian’s attorneys alleging their shopper was the “sufferer of a conspiracy.”
‘Crashgate’ rocked Components 1 when the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 noticed Renault’s Fernando Alonso win the race earlier than it emerged that his teammate, Piquet Jr, had intentionally crashed to carry out a security automobile that performed into Alonso’s palms.
Felipe Massa (proper) has introduced ahead a authorized case towards F1, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone (left) (Getty Pictures)
That security automobile prompted a Massa pit cease that Ferrari mishandled, with Massa finally ending the race thirteenth whereas Hamilton got here dwelling third – a distinction of six factors, a swing which in the end impacted the title consequence.
Commercial
Whereas Renault and staff boss Flavio Briatore have been punished in 2009, the results of the race stood regardless of Massa’s protestations, with the FIA’s statutes making clear that overturning the classification from every season is unattainable as soon as the FIA Awards Ceremony for that 12 months is full, a rule set within the FIA Worldwide Sporting Code.
Ecclestone informed F1-Insider in 2023 that each he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the ‘Crashgate’ scandal in 2008, however refused to publicise the chain of occasions to keep away from the game a “big scandal”.
In full, Ecclestone’s feedback learn: “We wished to guard the game and reserve it from an enormous scandal. That’s why I used angelic tongues to steer my former driver Nelson Piquet to maintain calm in the intervening time.
“Again then, there was a rule {that a} world championship classification after the FIA awards ceremony on the finish of the 12 months was untouchable. So Hamilton was offered with the trophy and every part was wonderful.
‘Crashgate’ rocked the game when it was uncovered that Nelson Piquet Jr intentionally crashed in Singapore in 2008 (PA)
“We had sufficient info in time to analyze the matter. In accordance with the statutes, we should always have cancelled the race in Singapore below these situations.
Commercial
“Meaning it will by no means have occurred for the championship standings. After which Felipe Massa would have develop into world champion and never .”
Ecclestone has since stated he doesn’t keep in mind the interview, including: “This was an interview I gave to somebody in Germany and the man on the time, his English wasn’t that good and he was taking notes, and it was picked up by somebody in England.
“The attorneys for myself, the FIA and F1 don’t perceive how it may be heard in a courtroom.”
Nevertheless, Massa has his eagerness for the “reality to return out” and maintained his willingness for “justice” to emerge.
Lewis Hamilton beat Massa to the 2008 F1 championship by one level (Getty)
He informed The Instances: “Accountability is essential to stopping future fraud. These entrusted with defending the game immediately violated their duties, they usually can’t be allowed to profit from concealing their very own misconduct.
Commercial
“Such conduct is unacceptable in any sphere of life, particularly in a sport adopted by thousands and thousands, together with youngsters. We are going to pursue this to the very finish with a purpose to obtain a simply and truthful final result — for myself, for motorsport in Brazil, and for the game as an entire.”
In 2023, Hamilton : “I’ve received a very unhealthy reminiscence. I’m actually simply targeted on the right here and now… I’m not targeted on what occurred 15 years in the past.”
Regardless of the authorized motion, Massa doesn’t appear capable of formally overturn the consequence – with the FIA’s personal Worldwide Sporting Code stating protests and opinions expire 14 days after a contest and 4 days previous to that 12 months’s prize-giving ceremony.
Massa’s best-finish in F1 turned out to be that 2008 season as he retired in 2017 whereas Hamilton went on to win six extra titles with Mercedes, holding the joint-record of seven F1 World Championships with Michael Schumacher. Hamilton, now 40, joined Ferrari earlier this 12 months.
