Felipe Massa files a legal complaint against Formula 1 (F1) and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in an attempt to reverse the outcome of the 2008 championship, 16 years after the incident occurred. Massa, a Brazilian driver, officially began a process against F1 and the FIA following the 2008 Crashgate scandal. His goal is to nullify the result of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, which would consequently change the outcome of the entire championship. However, amidst the legal process, Massa’s former race engineer accepted the defeat of the 2008 championship and joined forces with Lewis Hamilton.
The legal complaint filed by Massa also seeks financial compensation for the former world champion. He stated that he is focused on the present and not concerned with the past. Therefore, Massa believes he has the freedom to pursue what he desires, according to his engineer. Furthermore, the former Ferrari driver made clear his intentions with the process and what he hopes to achieve by winning the case.
The race engineer made it clear that Lewis Hamilton legitimately won the 2008 championship. Even for someone like Massa, winning the championship would have been a remarkable achievement. However, Hamilton’s victory in the championship should not be questioned. The engineer also emphasized that losing the title is part of the sport, as the driver with the most points at the end of the season is declared the champion.
Despite previously stating that he was not interested in financial gain from the case, Massa, 46, is now seeking compensation of over $160 million from F1 and the FIA. As a result, F1 commentator Matt Bishop has expressed his opinion on the matter in recent days. Bishop believes that, 16 years later, Massa has found a quick and easy way to make $100 million. He also expressed skepticism about the possibility of overturning the results of the 2008 championship, suggesting that Massa’s main goal with the lawsuit is to gain financial benefits from the old case.
The FIA and F1 have not yet presented their version of the story regarding the legal complaint filed against them. In addition, the regulatory body has decided to keep the details of the case confidential until the final moments. Therefore, only time will reveal the outcome of the process. Currently, Massa’s main goal is to actively participate in the case and potentially succeed in overturning the results of the 2008 championship.
