While Lewis Hamilton is laser-focused on winning his awaited eighth title, the past is dragging him down. Felipe Massa has filed a lawsuit in order to take the crown of being the 2008 F1 champion, which he believes is rightfully his. However, recent statements made by Bernie Ecclestone might ruin his case.
As of August 15th, Massa’s team has sent a legal notice to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The letter kick starts the legal action Massa is taking for the damages resulting from the ‘conspiracy’ that deprived him of the title. As reported by Reuters, Massa claims to be “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One Management”
Further, Massa seeks compensation for the tens of millions he had lost in earnings and bonuses because of said conspiracy. “Mr. Massa is unable to fully quantify his losses at this stage but estimates that they are likely to exceed tens of millions of Euros.”
Massa all but won the title, losing to Hamilton by a singular point. The letter simply stated, “Simply put, Mr. Massa is the rightful 2008 Driver’s Champion, and F1 and FIA deliberately ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title.”
Lewis Hamilton could avoid the scandal thanks to Bernie Ecclestone
While the truth behind the events of the 2008 Singapore GP came to light only in the following season, an interview given by Bernie Ecclestone this year triggered Massa into taking action. And so, 15 years later, Massa hopes to restore “the serious moral and reputational losses suffered” by him.
However, Reuters reached out to Ecclestone for a statement and the ex-F1 supremo refuses to take the onus of what Massa is accusing him of. “I don’t remember any of this, to be honest.” Ecclestone further stated, “I don’t remember giving the interview for sure.”
He further revealed that Massa’s legal team had not reached out to him regarding his alleged statements.
In an interview with F1-insider, Ecclestone expressed how sorry he was that Massa lost out on his championship. “He was cheated out of the title he deserved, while Hamilton had all the luck in the world and won his first championship.” But it didn’t stop there, as Ecclestone also explained what happened behind the curtains of the Crashgate controversy.
Ecclestone’s original statements
Ecclestone admitted him and then FIA president Max Mosely knew the reality of the situation during the 2008 season itself. Ecclestone had confessed, “We decided not to do anything for now. We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. That’s why I used angelic tongues to persuade my former driver Nelson Piquet to keep calm for the time being.
Further, there was the rule that once the trophy has been given to the champion, no changes could be made. Thus, once Hamilton held his first championship trophy, it was brushed under the carpet. However, Massa believes that according to the rules, the 2008 Singapore should have been canceled; thus, the title belonged to him.
Consequentially, Massa begins his fight for justice. If Hamilton is stripped of his 2008 title, rest assured, the F1 community would riot and go up in flames.
