Felipe Massa considered suing F1 over ‘crashgate’ amid 2008 title loss

Former Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipe Massa admitted that he took into consideration the possibility of privately suing Formula 1 authorities due to the events that took place in the 2008 Formula 1 championship that were eventually confirmed, but no sporting action was taken in terms of results, which could have led to Felipe being awarded the 2008 Formula 1 title.

A few days ago, former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone made some comments that generated a lot of discussions. He stunned the sport by admitting that he was very much aware of the 2008 ‘crashgate’ controversy even before the the news public the following year:

“Back then, there was a rule that a world championship classification was untouchable after the FIA awards ceremony at the end of the year,” Bernie Ecclestone confirmed in a recent interview for f1-insider.com – “So Hamilton was presented with the cup and everything was fine.” – he added.

At the same time, Bernie Ecclestone confirmed that Formula 1 team principals should have in fact “cancelled” the final results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. This would have crowned Ferrari’s Felipe Massa as 2008 F1 world champion rather than McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.

Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera went to Felipe Massa to ask him about the recent statements made by Bernie Ecclestone regarding this controversial matter. The now 41-year-old Brazilian replied: “Bernie should have said it earlier, not now. But I’ve always said it – it was unacceptable. I spoke about it at the time with Ferrari and with the team’s lawyers at Maranello and they told me that there was nothing they could do. There was no chance of winning. But I have always thought, and I still think today, that if I had hired lawyers on my own and brought forward a case, the outcome would have been different,” Felipe Massa pointed out.

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But could Bernie Ecclestone’s recent revelations determine him to pursue legal action after all these years? “What would change for me now?” – the former Ferrari driver disappointedly replied – “The story should have been resolved as soon as it became known with the correct methods of justice. In other sports, titles have been revoked when things like this have been discovered, so why not in Formula 1?” – Felipe Massa concluded.