Felipe Massa’s £64M Legal Battle: The Crashgate Controversy That Still Haunts F1

Nearly two decades after the infamous 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Crashgate is back in the headlines—this time in a courtroom. Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa is suing Formula 1, the FIA, and ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, demanding £64 million in damages over what he calls a “conspiracy” that cost him the world championship.

The 44-year-old Brazilian was leading the Singapore race when Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to trigger a safety car—a move later revealed to be a team-ordered ploy that helped his teammate Fernando Alonso win.

Massa’s Ferrari team, caught off guard, called him in for a pit stop that went disastrously wrong. He drove away with the fuel hose still attached, hit a crew member, and tumbled from first place to 13th—out of the points.

That single race would become the turning point in the 2008 season. Despite winning the final race in Brazil, Massa lost the championship to Lewis Hamilton by just one point.

Ecclestone’s 2023 Interview Reopens Old Wounds

Massa’s legal action hinges on comments made by Bernie Ecclestone in a 2023 interview with F1 Insider. Ecclestone claimed he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew about the deliberate crash in 2008 but chose not to act “to protect the sport from a huge scandal.”

Now 95, Ecclestone says he “does not remember” giving that interview—but for Massa, those words were enough to revive his fight for justice. His lawyers argue that only after that interview was published did Massa have enough evidence to bring his case forward.

“It Was Ferrari’s Fault,” Argue The Defendants

Ecclestone’s legal team counters that Massa and Ferrari’s own mistakes—not the crash—cost him the title. They claim he knew enough back in 2008 and 2009 to file a lawsuit, making this case far too late to pursue.

The court will now decide whether the case moves forward or is dismissed.

What Was ‘Crashgate’?

The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was Formula 1’s first-ever night race—and it turned into one of the sport’s darkest moments.

• On lap 14, Piquet Jr crashed at Turn 17, bringing out a safety car.

• Alonso, who had pitted earlier, benefited from perfect timing and went on to win.

• Massa, who had been leading, suffered a catastrophic pit stop and finished 13th.

• The fallout exploded a year later when Piquet revealed he had been ordered to crash.

Renault boss Flavio Briatore and chief engineer Pat Symonds were banned from F1 for their roles, though both later returned to the sport. Alonso was cleared of involvement.

The Legacy Of 2008

For Massa, 2008 remains a wound that never fully healed. He crossed the finish line in Brazil as world champion for just 38 seconds—before Hamilton’s last-lap overtake on Timo Glock changed everything.

Now, nearly 17 years later, the Brazilian is seeking not just money, but recognition that his lost title wasn’t just bad luck—it was injustice.

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