Felipe Massa's stance on Lewis Hamilton amid delayed £64m court case
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has spoken about his relationship with Lewis Hamilton while continuing his legal battle over the 2008 Formula One season. Massa has repeatedly emphasized that his case is not aimed at Hamilton personally.
The Brazilian driver is seeking £64 million in damages from Formula 1, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, claiming that the 2008 championship was unfairly decided due to the infamous Crashgate incident at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The 2008 controversy revisited
The scandal arose when Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed to help his teammate Fernando Alonso. Massa, who had started on pole position, saw his race collapse after the incident, ultimately finishing 13th while Hamilton came third. The lost points proved decisive in the championship battle.
Hamilton went on to win his first world title that season, defeating Massa in the final moments of the Brazilian Grand Prix. Massa believes that a timely investigation into the Singapore race could have changed the course of the championship.
Massa’s perspective on Hamilton
“To be honest, this is not a fight with Lewis,” Massa said last October. “Lewis has nothing to do with this fight. The fight is about what happened in the race, which was not good for the sport.”
Despite the tension surrounding the legal proceedings, Massa has made clear that his actions are driven by a desire for fairness in Formula 1, not personal rivalry.
Author’s summary
Massa clarifies that his £64m lawsuit over the 2008 F1 season targets the system’s handling of the Crashgate scandal, not Lewis Hamilton personally.