Lawyers acting on behalf of former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa have written to F1 and the FIA warning of legal action over the outcome of the 2008 world championship, which he dramatically lost by a single point to Lewis Hamilton.
First reported by Reuters this week, Massa wants to be acknowledged as the rightful title winner that year, and pocket compensation to make up for the tens of millions of euros he claims he missed out on as a result.
The Brazilian is acting now because of an interview given by former F1 overlord Bernie Ecclestone earlier this year: He claimed he and then FIA president Max Mosley knew about the ‘Crashgate’ scandal—in which Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed deliberately at the Singapore GP to help teammate Fernando Alonso—long before it was investigated, but chose to do nothing.
Apparently the 92-year-old can no longer remember giving the interview.
Massa had qualified on pole for the infamous race and was leading when the crash happened. After pitting under the safety car he was released with Ferrari’s fuel hose still attached, forcing him to stop and drop to last place. He eventually finished 12th, well out of the points; Renault's Fernando Alonso won having started a lowly 15th.
Had Massa won—or even finished seventh—that day, we wouldn’t have seen Lewis Hamilton win his maiden crown on the penultimate corner in the final race in Brazil, and "Is that Glock?!" would never have happened. And that Ferrari mechanic wouldn’t have headbutted a wall…
Neither F1 nor the FIA have responded publicly yet, but Massa’s lawyers have threatened to go to court if their client doesn’t get a satisfactory response.
Should Massa have the history books rewritten? Have your say below...
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
