Massa legal team agrees to extend FIA and F1 deadline

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Felipe Massa’s legal team, which is fighting to overturn the results of the 2008 F1 world championship, has granted the FIA and F1 a one-month extension to complete their investigation into the case.

Massa, who lost the 2008 title by a single point to Lewis Hamilton at the last round in Brazil, has initiated legal action against Formula One and the FIA, the Brazilian aiming to secure reparations for what his lawyers have deemed a "conspiracy" that deprived the former Scuderia charger of the world crown that year.

The crux of the issue evolves around the Renault team's decision at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to order its second driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to deliberately crash his car to bring out the safety car to benefit teammate Fernando Alonso, which it effectively did as the latter went on to win the race while Hamilton finished third.

Massa’s lawyers assert that the Brazilian suffered substantial financial losses amounting to tens of millions of euros due to forgone earnings and bonuses as a result of the events that unfolded at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

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The legal team had set a 12 October deadline for the FIA and F1 to respond to its queries or face it in the UK's High Court.

That deadline has been pushed back to November 15 to allow the FIA and F1 to complete their own investigations.

"FIA and FOM are completing an internal investigation and have requested one last extension to the deadline they initially asked for, from 12 October to 15 November," said Massa's lawyer Bernardo Viana.

"We have agreed to this final period because if the new administration is indeed looking into the matter in good faith, they will certainly reach the same conclusion we and so many people around the world have.

"We would like to know what Formula 1's new leadership's position is on the recently disclosed scandal and the injustice faced by Felipe Massa."

Speaking in Brazil last weekend, Massa told Motorsport.com that he still hopes that Ferrari will come out of the woodwork and support his case, given that the Scuderia would also benefit from a positive outcome.

"To be honest, we spoke in the letters on the legal side, but I don't see the point why Ferrari would not be on my side," Massa said.

"Because we lost the championship, they took away the championship from us, from me and from Ferrari. When you hear Toto Wolff speaking about 2021, Ferrari needs to do the same.

"Ferrari needs to fight for the best of the team and I don't see really Ferrari away from the manipulation which happened to me.

"For the moment, they didn't really say, 'Okay, we are together'. I think they are waiting to see what's going to happen."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.