Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa can proceed a part of his authorized motion over the ‘Crashgate’ scandal on the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008, however has had different components of his case dismissed by the Excessive Courtroom.
A court docket ruling mentioned Massa can attempt to get better damages regarding the controversy, however rejected his declare for a declaration he ought to have gained the 2008 drivers’ title.
The Brazilian launched authorized motion towards former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, Formulation 1 and governing physique the FIA over an alleged “conspiracy” he says denied him the title, which was gained by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.
Massa was main in Singapore when Nelson Piquet Jr intentionally crashed to create a chance for his Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso to win the race.
Massa believes that if F1 chiefs had investigated the incident sooner and the outcome had been annulled, he would have been topped world champion. The 44-year-old is looking for compensation within the area of about £64m.
At a listening to final month the defendants – Ecclestone, F1 and the FIA – tried to get the case thrown out, saying it was Massa’s efficiency which stopped him profitable the title and the matter had been introduced too late.
Mr Justice Jay handed down his ruling from that listening to on Thursday. He allowed the matter to proceed and mentioned Massa had a “actual prospect of proving at trial” his case for damages.
He rejected the defendants’ declare the difficulty had been delivered to court docket too late, as Massa had solely found info to assist him in his case as lately as 2023 – when Ecclestone gave an interview talking concerning the 2008 incident.
Nevertheless, to permit the declaration factor of Massa’s case to proceed “comes too shut in my opinion to impinging on the suitable of the FIA to manipulate its personal affairs”, the decide mentioned.
“Mr Massa shouldn’t be entitled to assert declaratory reduction for reputational or publicity causes,” he added.
“The current declare can not in fact rewrite the end result of the 2008 drivers’ world championship, but when declaratory reduction alongside the traces sought had been granted that’s how Mr Massa would current his victory to the world and additionally it is how it might be perceived by the general public.”
Massa welcomed the ruling, saying in an announcement it marked “a fantastic day for me, for justice, and for everybody who loves Formulation 1” and reasserted his perception the crash “stole the World Championship from me”.
The FIA, in the meantime, pointed to components of Massa’s declare being dismissed and mentioned whereas the matter may proceed, it was “on considerably narrowed grounds”.
