A marionette puppet of Formula One Group (FOM) CEO Bernie Ecclestone (GBR). Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Japanese Grand Prix, Practice Day, Suzuka, Japan, Friday, October 7, 2011.
In 2008, Felipe Massa came close to winning the F1 Drivers’ Championship. He was defeated by Lewis Hamilton, who secured the championship by passing Timo Glock for fifth place at the São Paulo Grand Prix. This one-point difference proved to be decisive.
Although Massa won the race in question, it was the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that dashed his championship hopes. This infamous event, now known as “crashgate,” compromised his chances. Massa was leading the race when his compatriot, Nelson Piquet Jr, deliberately crashed his Renault. The resulting Safety Car period and a poorly executed pit stop by Ferrari allowed Fernando Alonso to snatch the victory from Massa.
Piquet, who was later fired from Renault, revealed the truth in 2009. He disclosed 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 revealed that Massa had been “unjustly denied” the title he deserved. Ecclestone, along with then-FIA president Max Mosley, admitted to being aware of team orders but claimed they did not have 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 issue with F1 and the FIA failed, as stated by Massa and his legal team.
Ecclestone recently commented on the lawsuit, stating that he believes it was the right decision for Massa to sue and allow an English judge to determine what is fair. He emphasized that he cannot predict the outcome of the case and expressed his hope that a verdict from an English judge will be more beneficial for Massa.
At 93 years old, Ecclestone concluded by acknowledging his lack of knowledge about the upcoming proceedings and expressing his support for Massa’s pursuit of justice.
