Source:REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
[Saba Sports News] Recently, 2008 world championship runner-up and former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has filed a lawsuit against FOM (Formula One Management), the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), and Bernie Ecclestone regarding the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix ‘Crashgate’ scandal, seeking compensation of up to $82 million. The ‘Crashgate’ incident caused a global uproar when revealed and remains a dark scandal that the FIA and FOM are reluctant to discuss even in 2025. The event occurred during the 2008 F1 Singapore Grand Prix. The Renault team, aiming to benefit their then-double world champion driver Fernando Alonso, instructed their driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to deliberately cause a crash to trigger a Safety Car period. At the time of the incident, Massa, who was competing for the World Drivers’ Championship, was leading the race. The deployment of the Safety Car led to a problematic pit stop for Massa, dropping him down to P17. Ultimately, Massa lost the World Drivers’ Championship to Lewis Hamilton by a single point, granting Hamilton his first world championship title. In 2009, the incident was exposed, leading to severe penalties for Renault and the drivers involved. The matter gradually faded from public attention. What prompted Massa’s lawsuit was an interview revelation by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, often called the ‘Godfather’ of F1, stating that he and the FIA were aware of Renault’s actions at the time but chose not to act to protect F1’s reputation. Following this interview, Massa, as the primary victim, promptly filed lawsuits against FOM, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, seeking compensation of up to $82 million.