After much deliberation, Felipe Massa has taken legal action by filing a lawsuit against Formula 1, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, seeking redress for the controversial events surrounding the 2008 F1 World Championship.
In a statement issued by Massa’s legal representatives, it was confirmed that the lawsuit was formally lodged in the UK’s High Court on Monday, March 11th.
“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,” read the statement.
Furthermore, the statement outlined Massa’s quest for financial compensation due to the significant loss he incurred due to the FIA’s alleged failure, in which Ecclestone and Formula One Management (FOM) were implicated.
The statement referenced Ecclestone’s acknowledgment of sufficient information available in 2008 to warrant an investigation into the Singapore Grand Prix incident, with the admission that Massa would have been crowned world champion had the race results been annulled.
“Recent events naturally demonstrate that issues of transparency and integrity in Formula One remain relevant, and it is clear that serious work is needed to restore its credibility and long-term future,” the statement continued.
Despite the FIA’s investigation in 2009 concluding that it had never before considered charges as serious, and despite subsequent revelations, the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix stand officially sanctioned.
Massa is represented by a team of legal experts including barristers Nick de Marco KC and Kendrah Potts, among others, signaling a determined effort to pursue justice in this contentious matter.
