A London high court has authorized former Formula One driver Felipe Massa to proceed with his legal action seeking £64 million in damages from Formula One’s governing body and former commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone. The Brazilian driver contends that the 2008 championship, won by Lewis Hamilton by a single point, was tainted by deliberate race manipulation.
The case centers on the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, where Renault orchestrated a crash involving driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to benefit teammate Fernando Alonso. The incident, later confirmed as intentional, brought out a safety car that compromised Massa’s race strategy while he was leading. The Ferrari driver ultimately finished outside the points.
Justice Jay’s ruling allows Massa to pursue claims of unlawful conspiracy, though the court dismissed his request for formal declarations regarding the championship outcome. The judge noted that while Massa cannot legally alter the championship results through this case, he may establish that key figures concealed their knowledge of the orchestrated crash.
Defendants in the case, including Ecclestone, the FIA, and Formula One Management, had sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing the claims were brought too late and that Massa’s own performance contributed to his championship loss. Their motions were denied, paving the way for a full trial.
The legal proceedings follow Ecclestone’s 2023 statements suggesting Formula One leadership knew about the race manipulation before the 2008 season concluded. Massa’s legal team maintains that proper investigation at the time would have altered the championship standings in his favor.
The case now moves toward trial, where Massa must prove that the defendants engaged in a conspiracy that deprived him of the championship title.
