Felipe Massa\u2019s $82 million legal claim over the 2008 Formula 1 \u2018Crashgate\u2019 scandal has officially begun at the High Court in London.<\/p>\n
Lawyers representing Formula One Management, former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, and the FIA moved on the opening day of proceedings to have the Brazilian\u2019s case dismissed.<\/p>\n
Felipe Massa labelled a \u2018misguided attempt\u2019 to reopen 2008 wounds<\/p>\n
Massa finished as runner-up in the F1 2008 championship, and has followed through on his threat to challenge for the title in the court room, as he alleges that Formula 1\u2019s governing bodies covered up evidence relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.<\/p>\n
This infamous race saw the events of \u2018Crashgate\u2019 unfold, when Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed his Renault to benefit teammate Fernando Alonso. With Massa\u2019s race ruined by a Ferrari<\/a> pit error during the Safety Car period caused by Piquet\u2019s deliberate crash, Massa\u2019s argument is that this cover-up cost him the world championship, which Lewis Hamilton won by a single point.<\/p>\n Piquet admitted in 2009 that he had been instructed to crash by team management, following his dismissal from Renault\u2019s driver line-up by team boss Flavio Briatore, resulting in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix becoming one of the most controversial races in modern history due to the proven deliberate interference.<\/p>\n Massa filed a case last year following remarks F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone made in a 2023 interview with F1-Insider, in which he said he and then-FIA President, the late Max Mosley, had known the crash was deliberate but chose not to act to \u201cprotect the sport and save it from a huge scandal.\u201d<\/p>\n As reported by the UK\u2019s The Times on Wednesday,\u00a0Ecclestone, who turned 95 this week, was represented by his lawyer David Quest, who said that the former F1 supremo, \u201cdoes not remember giving this interview.\u201d<\/p>\n Massa\u2019s legal team claim Ecclestone and Mosley already knew about the deliberate crash and failed to investigate.<\/p>\n Nick De Marco KC, representing Massa, said in written submissions that the case should proceed to a full trial as the defendants \u201ccannot establish that Mr Massa\u2019s claims have no real prospect of success.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMr Massa has a real prospect of succeeding on all of the grounds,\u201d De Marco added, arguing that \u201cwhether the FIA breached its duties is a fact-sensitive issue, on which the court should not conduct a mini trial.\u201d<\/p>\n The hearing, overseen by Mr. Justice Jay, is expected to conclude on Friday, with a ruling to follow at a later date.<\/p>\n Massa\u2019s argument contends that, if the results of the Singapore Grand Prix, as a race with proven interference, had been annulled, Hamilton\u2019s points total would be less than Massa\u2019s, making the Brazilian the World Champion for the season.<\/p>\n The defence argued that Massa\u2019s claim has been filed too late and that his and Ferrari\u2019s own errors in Singapore cost him the race.<\/p>\n Among them was a disastrous pitstop during the Safety Car period, when Massa drove off with the fuel hose still attached, knocking over a crew member and forcing him to rejoin the track behind several cars.<\/p>\n Massa was in court as\u00a0Quest\u00a0told the judge that the Brazilian had \u201cperformed very poorly\u201d in Singapore, finishing 13th and scoring no points.<\/p>\n The defence maintained Massa could have brought a claim in 2008 or 2009 and that it is now too late to reopen the case. They also argued that the declaration Massa seeks would unfairly impact Hamilton, who is not a party to the proceedings and whose 2008 championship was the first of his seven titles.<\/p>\n Massa\u2019s team insists he only became aware of grounds for legal action in 2023, following Ecclestone\u2019s remarks to F1-Insider, suggesting the FIA knew of the deliberate crash and chose not to investigate.<\/p>\n In written submissions, Quest said Massa\u2019s claims \u201care a misguided attempt to reopen the results of the 2008 F1 Drivers\u2019 championship\u201d and would \u201cdeprive Mr. Hamilton of his 2008 title\u201d despite the British driver being \u201cequally exposed to the crash.\u201d<\/p>\n John Mehrzad KC, representing the FIA, was succinct in his comments, describing the claim as \u201cas torturous as it is overly ambitious\u201d and said it \u201cconspicuously overlooks a catalogue of his own errors.\u201d<\/p>\n Everything you need to know about Felipe Massa\u2019s court case<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Explained: Why is Felipe Massa legally challenging Lewis Hamilton\u2019s 2008 World title?<\/a><\/p>\n