Massa officially goes to court: Hamilton's world title in jeopardy?
Felipe Massa is officially going to court over the Formula 1 World Championship title in 2008. The Brazilian is taking the FIA, FOM and Bernie Ecclestone to the High Court in London following the infamous 2008 'Crashgate' scandal.
Massa missed out on the world title in 2008. Lewis Hamilton won it on the last lap of the final race of the season. However, Massa believes he, and not Hamilton, should hold the title. The infamous Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 should never have counted towards the world championship and without that race, Massa had more points than Hamilton.
Massa's pursuit of the title comes as a result of a Bernie Ecclestone ruling. 'Crashgate' did not become public knowledge until a year later, but the former F1 CEO stated that F1 and the FIA were already aware of what had taken place in 2008. Nelson Piquet Jr. had deliberately crashed to help Fernando Alonso to victory. Massa believes the race should have been scrapped as a result.
Why Massa is still hoping for the world title
Had the management intervened back then, Massa would have stood with more points than Hamilton at the end of the year. Now more than 15 years later, Massa wants to resolve it through the courts. "Mr Massa is seeking declarations that the FIA breached its regulations by failing to promptly investigate Nelson Piquet Junior's crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix and that had it acted properly, Mr Massa would have won the drivers' championship that year," reads the statement from Brazilian law firm Vieira Rezende Advogados.
"Mr Massa also seeks damages for the significant financial loss he has suffered due to the FIA's failure, in which Mr Ecclestone and FOM were also complicit."
He has no case for the title. Maybe for financial compensation, but the title would be ludicrous. No way a court, even if they could, would overturn that. It was not Lewis fault. He just drove as he was supposed to.
The thing is the money and title go hand in hand! If he wins the case and he gets compensation, it is an admission that the title should have also been rightfully his! I think it's therefore all or nothing!
Ok, how about this, we give Massa his title as WDC and give Lewis the one he lost to MV? That still leaves him with only 7..
Like Romain Grosjean said he could of won 6-7 titles in that Supersonic Mereceds 1 second faster per lap. So take away the supersonic MB = 0 Give back Massa Title = 0 MV 51G bash in 2021= 0 So that will leave him with only 0
I've read he wants $120m compensation for lost earnings for not being world champion, but isn't trying to overturn the result. I think lost compensation would be fair, but like in 2021 the driver that benefited had nothing to do with the crash/bad on track decision, so not to ask for it to be overturned is fair also.
Massa deserves the title. If Hamilton has class he won't challenge the true result.
If Massa wins the case then Lewis can sue for the title that was stolen from him as well. Secondly Massa does not deserve the title as he had other opportunities to out right win and he and the team blew those chances. Waiting 15 years and then begging for a title is not a good look. No class. He raced on the same team as one of the guys who rigged the race and said nothing.
As if the deliberate crash wasn't bad enough by potentially changing the outcome of the 2008 title. If the points system which we have now had been implemented that year instead of 2009 then Massa would also have been champion, even with the crash in Singapore. You have to feel for him, that's pretty rotten luck.
Definitely has a case against Bernie who acknowledged that he and Mosely knew about it before the season had ended. But I doubt they would reverse the title as it would set a very dangerous president. Ham and Mclaren definitely had no hand in Crashgate,so I don't see why they should be penalized for something that was out of their control,though I can see the basis of the argument. I have a much bigger issue with Flavio and co conspirators,who was guilty beyond doubt,being allowed back into the sport.
Massa keeps spending the big money on lawyers with no hope of a getting a world title.
At best he might get financial compensation but definitely no title. If he hadn't spend the entire race at Silverstone spinning around like a top in the wet like an amateur driver, he would have won the title. That was embarrassing to watch
Yes, he may get money i agree. Also if he hadn't left the pits with the fuel rig attached he may have been a WDC.
Popular on GPBlog
F1 Full Results | Japanese Grand Prix FP2: Piastri P1, Norris P2
F1 LIVE | Follow FP2 for the Japanese Grand Prix here
Longruns prove Verstappen right: Red Bull Racing has serious homework to do
