Felipe Massaformer Brazilian pilot Ferrarilaunched this Monday a legal process against the Formula 1 and the FIA before him High Court of Justice, Londonconsidering himself harmed in the fight for the world title in 2008following the call “Crashgate.”
Massacurrently 42 years old, lost the F1 World Championship of 2008 against the british Lewis Hamilton for a single point, months after the Singapore Grand Prix of that year, won by the Spanish Fernando Alonso. In this race, a historic scandal occurred that shook the premier class of motorsport to this day.
What happened at the 2008 Singapore GP?
The Brazilian Massa assures that to favor the victory of Alonsothe Spanish team, renaulthe ordered his second pilot, Nelson Piquet Jr.who deliberately crashed his car into a security wall. Alonso15th on the starting grid, had just passed through the pits at the time of the accident and it was the intervention of the Safety Car (safety car), which allowed him to overtake the rest of the drivers who were passing through the pits.
Massawho was the leader at the time of that accident, finally crossed the finish line in 13th positionafter a nightmare GP for him in which his car left the pits with the fuel hose hooked to the tank.
Piquet He confessed a year later that the accident was a deliberate instruction by the team renault.
So, Massa has initiated proceedings against Formula 1promoter of the World Championship, but also against the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and against the former director of discipline Bernie Ecclestone.
Ecclestone acknowledged the mistake and that the title should go to Massa
With this process, the Brazilian would seek a compensation of 73 million euros ($80 million) in salary damages, sponsorships and business opportunities that he would have obtained if he had become champion.
Eccleston confessed in an interview last year that, according to the rules, the results of the race of Singapore should not have been counted in the World Championship and therefore, Massa should have been proclaimed champion.
“Massa seeks a declaration that the FIA breached its regulations by failing to properly investigate Nelson Piquet Junior’s crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix and that, had it acted correctly, Massa would have won the World Drivers’ Championship that year.”says a statement from Massa’s lawyers.
“It also seeks to repair damages for the potential financial losses it has suffered due to the FIA ruling, in which Ecclestone and FOM (Formula One Management) were also complicit”the text continues.
“If that is the direction Felipe wants to go, it is his decision, I prefer not to focus on the past”said hamilton last September, when asked about it.
Massa He never won another race. Formula 1 after 2008 and in 2009 suffered a serious head injury during the Hungarian Grand Prix. After recovering he ran again with Ferrari and Williams until 2017.
What Felipe Massa said about “Crashgate” and the incredible end of the 2008 championship that Hamilton won
“They robbed me, for sure. It was a perfect championship, which ended by one point in Interlagos. But then we saw that there was a rigged race (Singapore), and the result should have been cancelled. They didn’t do it because they didn’t want to destroy the name of F1 “Bernie Ecclestone said in an interview that the 2008 championship is mine for him and that the race in Singapore should be cancelled. They didn’t do it and they knew in 2008 about the manipulation.”the Brazilian downloaded.
“For me it was a very difficult situation. We prepared a large legal team with lawyers from six countries. We are going to fight until the end because what happened was not fair for the sport, for me, for my country, for the fans, for Ferrari ”he sentenced Felipe Massa.
In Singapore 2008the first night race in the history of the F1, Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed his renault on purpose to facilitate the victory of his partner Fernando Alonso. The plan was to bring forward the stop Alonsothen forcing a safety car to cause the arrests of the drivers who were ahead of the Spaniard, who qualified 15th for that race.
Alonso won and hamilton was third with his McLaren. He added 6 points that were decisive on the last date of when, Massa He won in front of his people. The Brazilian was champion for 35 seconds, but the carnival put him out with the final fifth place of hamilton who ended up in that position after overtaking in the last corner Timo Glock (Toyota). The Englishman was crowned champion since he surpassed the Brazilian by one point.
Source: Ambito
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