Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Felipe Massa’s long-running Crashgate damages case has been pushed up to the UK Supreme Court after Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One Management and the FIA won permission to appeal the ruling that allowed his unlawful conspiracy claim to move toward a full trial.
The move slows the former Ferrari driver’s attempt to pursue compensation over the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix scandal, while escalating the legal fight to the highest level in the UK system. Massa had already been allowed to seek damages in the High Court, but the court rejected his separate bid to be declared the 2008 Formula 1 world champion.
At the center of the case is Singapore 2008, when Renault ordered Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash deliberately, triggering a Safety Car that helped Fernando Alonso, who had already stopped, go on to win the race. Massa’s afternoon then unraveled when Ferrari released his car before the fuel hose had been removed, leaving him outside the points. Lewis Hamilton finished third, scored six points and went on to beat Massa to the title by a single point.
Massa argues that Formula 1 and the FIA should have removed the Singapore result from the championship once they knew the race had been manipulated. His lawyers also claim Ecclestone knew the crash was deliberate and that he and the FIA failed to investigate it at the time.
The defendants have now been granted a leapfrog appeal, allowing them to bypass the Court of Appeal and challenge directly the decision that Massa’s conspiracy allegation can be heard at trial. Massa is seeking damages reported at about £64 million, or roughly $82 million.
In March, Ecclestone, FOM and the FIA were ordered to pay Massa £250,000 in legal costs, even as they were given the right to pursue this appeal.
Massa previously said he still carries the impact of the 2008 outcome. Felipe Massa, the former Ferrari and Formula 1 driver, said: “I lost my peace because I knew I was robbed. Since then I have never been at ease.” He added that he hopes today’s authorities recognize the damage done, saying: “I really hope they understand that what happened was not fair for the sport and I really hope that they fix the case.”
The Supreme Court appeal means the case will not move straight to a trial on its merits, extending a dispute that still reaches into the handling of one of Formula 1’s most consequential scandals and delaying any answer on whether Massa can press his compensation claim to a full hearing.