Felipe Massa is suing the governing bodies of Formula One and its former CEO for £64 million ($81.5 million), claiming he would have beaten Lewis Hamilton to the 2008 motorsport title if a scandal over an allegedly deliberate crash had been investigated properly.
Former driver Massa Sues F1 Bodies : Allegations of Conspiracy
The Brazilian driver said in a High Court claim that the motorsport’s leaders took part in a “conspiracy” to hide a deliberate crash — branded “Crashgate” — at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. This allowed the British driver to beat Massa in the championship by one point, according to the March 11 claim, which has recently been made public.
The driver, who won 11 Grands Prix in a Formula One career between 2002 and 2017, argues that he is the rightful winner. He added that he lost out on some £64 million in prize money, salary, and sponsorship deals as a result of his loss.
Former driver Massa Sues F1 Bodies : Details of the Crash
“If the results of the Singapore Grand Prix were allowed to stand despite the race being tainted by fraud or the deliberate manipulation of results by Renault, Mr. Massa was the individual who would suffer harm as he would wrongfully be denied the drivers’ championship,” the claim says.