In 2008, Felipe Massa narrowly missed out on winning the F1 Drivers’ Title. He was defeated by Lewis Hamilton, who secured the championship by overtaking Timo Glock for fifth place at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. This one-point difference proved to be the deciding factor.
Although Massa won the race in question, it was the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that ultimately dashed his hopes of becoming champion. This infamous event, now referred to as the “crashgate,” compromised his chances. Massa was leading the race when his fellow countryman, Nelson Piquet Jr, deliberately crashed his Renault. The resulting Safety Car period and a botched pit stop by Ferrari allowed Fernando Alonso to claim victory instead of Massa.
Piquet, who was later fired from Renault, exposed the truth in 2009. He revealed that he had been instructed by his boss, Flavio Briatore, to cause the crash. As a consequence, Briatore was banned from the sport.
In 2023, Bernie Ecclestone disclosed that Massa had been “unjustly denied” the title he deserved. Ecclestone, along with then FIA President Max Mosley, admitted to having knowledge of the team orders but claimed that they did not possess enough information at the time to conduct a proper investigation and take appropriate action.
Ecclestone’s comments prompted Massa to initiate legal proceedings, which have been ongoing for nearly a year. The lawsuit was filed after attempts to resolve the matter with F1 and the FIA proved unsuccessful, as stated by Massa and his legal team.
Ecclestone recently commented on the lawsuit, stating that he believed it was the right decision for Massa to sue and allow an English judge to determine what is fair and just. He emphasized that he cannot predict the outcome of the case and expressed his hope that an English judge’s verdict would be more beneficial for Massa.
At 93 years old, Ecclestone concluded by acknowledging his lack of knowledge regarding the future proceedings and expressing his support for Massa’s pursuit of justice.