Felipe Massa’s Position on Lewis Hamilton Amid £64 Million Legal Dispute
Felipe Massa, the former Ferrari F1 driver, is pursuing £64 million in damages connected to the 2008 Formula One World Championship. He clarified that his legal dispute does not target Lewis Hamilton personally.
Context of the 2008 Season Dispute
In 2008, Massa was a strong contender for the championship. However, his title challenge was significantly impacted by the “crashgate” scandal at the Singapore Grand Prix. This controversy involved Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr., who deliberately crashed to benefit his teammate Fernando Alonso.
- Massa started the Singapore race on pole position but finished 13th.
- Lewis Hamilton finished third in the same race.
- The championship was ultimately decided on the final lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
- Massa lost the title to Hamilton, who secured his first F1 championship.
Legal Claims and Massa’s Perspective
Massa is suing Formula One, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, arguing that a timely investigation into the crashgate scandal could have changed the season’s outcome in his favor. He believes this would have prevented Hamilton from winning his maiden title.
"To be honest, this is not a fight with Lewis," Massa said in October, according to Express. "Lewis has nothing to do with this fight. The fight is about what happened in the race, which was not good for the sport."
Return of the Brazilian Grand Prix
The race where the championship was decided, the Brazilian Grand Prix, is returning to the F1 calendar this weekend, adding renewed attention to Massa’s ongoing claims.
Author’s summary: Felipe Massa emphasizes his legal dispute over the 2008 F1 title concerns race fairness, saying his conflict is with the sport’s integrity, not with Lewis Hamilton personally.