Felipe Massa suing F1 for $120 million over lost ‘crashgate’ world title

A former driver is suing Formula One for $120 million over the “crashgate” saga that helped Lewis Hamilton win his first world title.

Felipe Massa is suing F1 over the 2008 world title.

Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 world title has been legally challenged by former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, The Sun reports.

The Brazilian, who dramatically lost out to Hamilton on the final lap of that season, has filed a lawsuit against F1, the FIA and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

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While he is not looking to overturn Hamilton’s title win, Massa, 42, is suing for over A$120m he claims he lost in earnings after missing out on not being crowned world champion.

The charge relates to the 2008 Singapore GP where Nelson Piquet Jr was told to crash on purpose to help out his then-teammate Fernando Alonso.

Massa believes that if the crash was properly scrutinised, he would have been crowned the 2008 champion over Hamilton, who won the title by a point.

A statement from Massa’s legal representatives said: “Mr Massa is seeking declarations that the FIA breached its regulations by failing to promptly investigate Nelson Piquet Junior’s crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, and that had it acted properly, Mr Massa would have won the Drivers’ Championship that year.

Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa fights back tears after he won the race but failed to secure the 2008 Formula One drivers championship. (AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup)

“Mr Massa also seeks damages for the significant financial loss he has suffered due to the FIA’s failure, in which Mr Ecclestone and FOM were also complicit.

“As Mr Ecclestone has admitted there was ‘enough information in time to investigate the matter’ in 2008 and ‘cancel the race in Singapore’.

“Mr Ecclestone further affirmed that, had the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix been cancelled, ‘Felipe Massa would have become world champion’ and that Mr Massa ‘was cheated out of the title he deserved’.

“Attempts to find an amicable resolution have been unsuccessful, leaving Mr Massa with no choice but to initiate legal proceedings.

“Recent events naturally demonstrate that issues of transparency and integrity in Formula One remain relevant, and it is clear that serious work is needed to restore its credibility and long-term future.

Lewis Hamilton, left, talks to Felipe Massa of Brazil on the podium after the Belgian F1 Grand Prix. AP (Photo: Frank Augstein)

“Although the FIA investigation in 2009 concluded that it had ‘never before considered charges as serious’, even after the revelations brought forward last year, the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix still stand and remain officially sanctioned by the FIA.”

Hamilton declined to comment when SunSport approached his representatives for comment.

The 2008 disappointment came two years after Massa finished third in the F1 drivers’ standings.

He was unable to clinch the top crown, while Hamilton has since added a further six world titles to draw level with Michael Schumacher.

The Brit finished second on debut in 2007 and again in both 2016 and 2021, the latter coming in devastating fashion when he was controversially overtaken on the final lap by Max Verstappen.

This article first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission.