Massa files a lawsuit in the London High Court against Ecclestone, the FIA, and F1

Former Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa, aged 42, has initiated legal proceedings in the London High Court against Formula 1, former commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone, and the governing body FIA. His aim is to be officially recognized as the 2008 world champion and to seek financial compensation.

According to a court document provided by Massa’s representatives, the estimated financial losses he incurred from narrowly missing out on the championship by a single point amounts to £64 million ($82 million), plus accrued interest. This sum includes the disparity in salary for the remainder of his career, potential earnings from sponsorship and commercial deals, as well as a £1.7 million bonus he would have received from Ferrari.

Expressing his determination to pursue justice, Massa stated, “I always said that I would fight until the end. As FIA and FOM decided to do nothing, we will seek the correction of this historical injustice through the courts.” He has entrusted his legal team to take all necessary actions to rectify what he perceives as a significant injustice within the sport.

Neither Formula 1 Management (FOM) nor the International Automobile Federation (FIA) has provided any comments regarding Massa’s legal action when approached by Reuters.

The 2008 Formula 1 championship ultimately went to Lewis Hamilton, the British driver who was racing for McLaren at the time and has since gone on to secure seven world titles with Mercedes. Despite Massa’s valiant efforts, he fell just short of claiming the coveted championship.

While there is no immediate record of the lawsuit filed by Massa in the court’s electronic filing system, his representatives have confirmed the initiation of legal proceedings. Massa is seeking acknowledgment from the FIA for breaching its own regulations by failing to promptly investigate a controversial crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, which later unfolded into a major scandal within the sport.

Massa has drawn attention to comments attributed to Bernie Ecclestone, where he suggested that Massa was unjustly deprived of the championship he rightfully deserved. However, Ecclestone has cast doubt on whether he actually made those statements, claiming he cannot recall doing so.

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Efforts to resolve the matter amicably have proven unsuccessful thus far, prompting Massa’s legal team to escalate the issue to the court. The Brazilian law firm Vieira Rezende Advogados emphasized the significance of transparency and integrity in Formula 1, stressing the need to address these issues to safeguard the sport’s credibility and long-term viability.

The pivotal moment in question occurred during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix when Massa, leading from pole position, was dramatically impacted by a crash involving fellow Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr. This incident, orchestrated by Renault team bosses, ultimately benefited Piquet’s teammate Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race. Massa’s chances of victory were dashed after encountering problems during a pit stop.

Subsequently, Lewis Hamilton secured the championship title by overtaking Timo Glock of Toyota in the final moments of the season’s last race in Brazil. Despite the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the championship, Massa’s career trajectory took a tragic turn when he suffered a severe head injury during the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. He retired from Formula 1 in 2017, marking the end of an illustrious career filled with both triumphs and challenges.