The high court rejects the FIA’s bid to dismiss the case: Felipe Massa can bring his Crashgate 2008 claims to trial
The long shadow of the 2008 Crashgate scandal has returned to the center of the international legal stage. The High Court in London has ruled that a substantial part of the lawsuit filed by the former Brazilian driver against Formula One Management, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone deserves a full trial. For the first time, Felipe Massa will be able to bring his allegations of a cover-up against Ecclestone and former FIA president Max Mosley into a courtroom, in a case that could have implications far beyond the 2008 season.
Massa’s case regarding the 2008 Crashgate scandal
Everything revolves around that Singapore Grand Prix. Massa was leading the race, and Ferrari seemed in full control. Then Nelson Piquet Jr’s crash — intentional, as would be revealed in 2009 — changed everything: the safety car came out, chaos in the pit lane ruined the Brazilian’s race, and Hamilton finished third, gaining the points he needed to win the championship by a single point. For Massa, however, the real scandal is not the incident itself but what he believes happened behind the scenes: according to his account, the leaders of F1 and the FIA knew about the deliberate crash well before 2009, yet chose not to investigate in order to protect the championship’s reputation.
According to the former Ferrari driver, Ecclestone and then-FIA president Max Mosley deliberately chose not to open an immediate investigation into the crash orchestrated by Renault — a course of action that, Massa argues, altered the outcome of the 2008 World Championship and cost him the title.
The High Court’s decision represents a significant victory for Massa, who can now bring his allegations of a cover-up to court. However, it is not a complete triumph: the tribunal rejected the former Ferrari driver’s request to compel the FIA to issue an official statement declaring that he should have been the 2008 World Champion. Judge Jay described that request as “too close” to rewriting the sporting result — something courts cannot, and should not, do.
In a statement published on its website, the FIA sought to present the decision as a confirmation of the validity of its defense. The reality, however, is different: for the first time since 2008, the Crashgate scandal will actually be examined in a courtroom.
Photos: F1, Scuderia Ferrari HP
