By Noah Guttman
Felipe Massa vs Formula One: is there a case?
The 2008 Formula One season will be remembered for many things.
Perhaps the most iconic moment might be the Brazilian Grand Prix, which saw the ultimate chaos scenario unfold in the title race. Ferrari driver Felipe Massa would win the race in what was a completely dominant effort from the Brazilian driver on his home turf.
Everything else was unfolding in his favour. Lewis Hamilton, who led the Drivers’ Championship heading into the final race, was stuck battling for fifth with Sebastian Vettel, ultimately conceding the place to the German driver. Without fifth place, Lewis Hamilton would lose the title to Felipe Massa.
But in a stroke of luck, German driver Timo Glock was struggling in the conditions, which gave fifth place and the title back to Lewis Hamilton. The win would mark Lewis Hamilton’s first world title after joining Formula One the season before.
But the most pivotal moment? That could very well be the Singapore Grand Prix, three race weekends before the finale in Brazil.
That race featured the “Crashgate Scandal”, which saw Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crash his car and give an assist to Fernando Alonso, who would ultimately win the race. Massa’s ensuing pitstop didn’t exactly go to plan; the fuel hose got stuck when he was leaving the pit lane, forcing his pit crew to chase it down and costing Massa precious time. Felipe Massa’s championship rival, Lewis Hamilton, wound up in third, while the Brazilian was stuck down in thirteenth.
The Crashgate Scandal was all the rage when it was made public in 2009, forcing the departure of key Renault figures like Flavio Briatore.
Almost seventeen years later, it’s back in the spotlight; Felipe Massa recently initiated a court challenge against Formula One, claiming that a failure to investigate the Singapore Grand Prix crash and the scandal’s cover-up cost him a Formula One title in 2008.
In a fall 2025 appearance at the UK High Court, a judge ruled that Felipe Massa’s claim against Formula One, the FIA, and then-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone was partially founded and that it could go to trial.
A written judgment stated that “[Massa] does have a real prospect of proving at trial all the components of the unlawful means conspiracy.” That claim centres around the fact that top motorsport leadership knew about the crash yet chose to cover it up and save face.
The same proof applies to Massa’s inducement claim.
On the other hand, the judge refused to grant declaratory relief, which is a ruling that states parties’ rights short of a specific court action or award for damages. The judge also claimed that such a ruling would lead to manipulation of the public’s view of the 2008 season and potential infringement on the FIA’s ability to govern effectively.
Motorsport officials implicated with the trial stated that Massa’s claim was flawed and misguided. At the same time, Massa’s team claimed that such officials could not determine with confidence that his claim would fail.
No court date is set for the trial as of yet.
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