Felipe Massa's £64M Legal Bid Over 2008 F1 Title Faces Dismissal in High Court

Felipe Massa has initiated a £64 million legal claim against Formula One Management, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, asserting that he is the rightful 2008 Formula One World Champion, a title officially won by Lewis Hamilton by one point. Massa's claim is based on the 'Crashgate' scandal at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, where Renault ordered Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash deliberately, impacting race results and Massa's championship outcome. Lawyers for Ecclestone, FOM, and the FIA argue that Massa's case is a misguided attempt to reopen settled sporting results and is legally untenable, emphasizing that the court cannot overturn the championship outcome. They also point to Massa's own mistakes during the Singapore race, such as a pit stop incident, and contend the claim was brought too late and appears motivated by publicity. The defendants have applied for the case to be dismissed, characterizing Massa's claims as a counterfactual exercise inappropriate for the court. The legal proceedings are ongoing, with a High Court hearing underway to decide if the case should proceed to trial.