Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has launched legal action against the sport's management, former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the governing FIA over the outcome of the 2008 world championship, his lawyers said on Monday.
Brazilian law firm Vieira Rezende Advogados said proceedings had been initiated in the London High Court.
Formula One Management and the Paris-based FIA would not comment on the move when contacted by Reuters.
Reuters was unable to locate a record of a lawsuit brought by Massa on the electronic filing system for London's High Court.
Massa, 42, is seeking declarations that the FIA breached its own regulations and he would have been champion had it immediately investigated a Singapore Grand Prix crash that subsequently became one of the sport's biggest scandals.
Britain's Lewis Hamilton, now a seven-time world champion and at the time in his second season with McLaren, won that title — his first.
Massa also wants compensation for “considerable financial losses” resulting from what the lawyers said was the failure of the FIA, with Ecclestone and Formula One Management complicit.
The lawyers referred to an Ecclestone quote stating there had not been “enough information at that time to investigate the matter” and cancel the race in 2008.
It quoted the Briton, now 93, as saying also that if the Singapore race had been cancelled “Massa would have been world champion” and the Brazilian “was deprived of the title he deserved”.
Ecclestone told Reuters last August he could not remember saying the quotes attributed to him.
“Attempts to resolve the matter amicably have not been successful so far, leaving no alternative but to take the issue to court,” the law firm said.
“Recent events highlight the continued relevance of issues of transparency and integrity in Formula One and it is clear serious work is needed to restore its credibility and secure its long-term future.”
Massa was leading the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix from pole position when fellow Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr crashed into the wall on lap 14 of 61.
The crash triggered the safety car and benefited Piquet's Renault teammate Fernando Alonso, who won the race. Massa failed to score after a bungled pit stop.
Piquet revealed in 2009 that he had been told to crash by team bosses who were subsequently banned.
Hamilton won the 2008 title by a single point from Massa after an overtake on the last lap of the final race of that season in Brazil.
Massa did not win again after 2008, with the Brazilian suffering a near-fatal head injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. He retired in 2017.
Massa takes action against F1, FIA and Ecclestone in London High Court
Image: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has launched legal action against the sport's management, former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the governing FIA over the outcome of the 2008 world championship, his lawyers said on Monday.
Brazilian law firm Vieira Rezende Advogados said proceedings had been initiated in the London High Court.
Formula One Management and the Paris-based FIA would not comment on the move when contacted by Reuters.
Reuters was unable to locate a record of a lawsuit brought by Massa on the electronic filing system for London's High Court.
Massa, 42, is seeking declarations that the FIA breached its own regulations and he would have been champion had it immediately investigated a Singapore Grand Prix crash that subsequently became one of the sport's biggest scandals.
Britain's Lewis Hamilton, now a seven-time world champion and at the time in his second season with McLaren, won that title — his first.
Massa also wants compensation for “considerable financial losses” resulting from what the lawyers said was the failure of the FIA, with Ecclestone and Formula One Management complicit.
The lawyers referred to an Ecclestone quote stating there had not been “enough information at that time to investigate the matter” and cancel the race in 2008.
It quoted the Briton, now 93, as saying also that if the Singapore race had been cancelled “Massa would have been world champion” and the Brazilian “was deprived of the title he deserved”.
Ecclestone told Reuters last August he could not remember saying the quotes attributed to him.
“Attempts to resolve the matter amicably have not been successful so far, leaving no alternative but to take the issue to court,” the law firm said.
“Recent events highlight the continued relevance of issues of transparency and integrity in Formula One and it is clear serious work is needed to restore its credibility and secure its long-term future.”
Massa was leading the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix from pole position when fellow Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr crashed into the wall on lap 14 of 61.
The crash triggered the safety car and benefited Piquet's Renault teammate Fernando Alonso, who won the race. Massa failed to score after a bungled pit stop.
Piquet revealed in 2009 that he had been told to crash by team bosses who were subsequently banned.
Hamilton won the 2008 title by a single point from Massa after an overtake on the last lap of the final race of that season in Brazil.
Massa did not win again after 2008, with the Brazilian suffering a near-fatal head injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. He retired in 2017.
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