A London judge has ruled that a multi-million-pound lawsuit brought by former Formula One driver Felipe Massa can proceed to trial. The legal action targets Formula One’s commercial rights holder, the sport’s governing body, the FIA, and former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone.
The case centers on the controversial 2008 season, which saw Lewis Hamilton clinch his first world championship by a single point ahead of Massa. The Brazilian driver contends that the title was illegitimately decided due to the “Crashgate” scandal at that year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
During that race, Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed on team orders, triggering a safety car period that ruined the race strategy of Massa, who was leading for Ferrari. He ultimately finished outside the points. Piquet Jr. revealed the orchestrated crash the following season. Massa’s legal team asserts that Ecclestone and FIA officials were aware of the deliberate nature of the incident before the 2008 championship concluded but failed to act, thereby invalidating the sporting result.
The defendants, who had sought to have the case dismissed, argued the claim was brought too late and that Massa’s own performance in Singapore contributed to his title loss. In a written judgment, the presiding justice allowed significant elements of the claim to advance. While dismissing Massa’s bid for a court declaration officially naming him the rightful champion, the judge found he had “a real prospect” of proving allegations of an unlawful conspiracy.
Representatives for Ecclestone labeled the lawsuit a “misguided attempt” to alter history, while counsel for the FIA described the claim as “overly ambitious” and argued it ignored Massa’s own errors. Lawyers for Formula One Management stated the case would fail.
The ruling sets the stage for a high-profile trial that will revisit one of Formula One’s most notorious scandals, though the court has made clear it cannot formally rewrite the record books. The proceedings will focus on whether key figures within the sport concealed crucial information, thereby depriving Massa of a fair chance at the championship.