Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says he is baffled that Felipe Massa’s legal case against the sport over the infamous 2008 Singapore Grand Prix has made it this far, denying that any cover-up of the “Crashgate” scandal ever took place.
The case, which Massa has brought through UK courts and which will be heard in London on October 28, was initiated by the former Ferrari driver following Ecclestone’s own comments in a 2023 interview with German website F1-Insider.
In the exchange, the former F1 supremo was quoted as admitting that he and then-FIA president Max Mosley were aware of the manipulated circumstances behind Fernando Alonso’s victory.
For Massa, who lost the 2008 world championship to Lewis Hamilton by a single point, the manipulated Singapore race remains a bitter wound, and the Brazilian is seeking to have the outcome overturned along with $82 million in damages!
Leading when Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed under team orders to help Renault teammate Alonso, Massa’s Ferrari pit stop turned into disaster when he was released with a fuel hose attached, costing him valuable points.
In his legal quest for justice, 17 years after the controversial event, the Brazilian insists his case is about more than just the title.
“Accountability is key to preventing future fraud,” Massa told The Times.
“Those entrusted with protecting the sport directly violated their duties, and they cannot be allowed to benefit from concealing their own misconduct.
“Such conduct is unacceptable in any sphere of life, especially in a sport followed by millions, including children.
“We will pursue this to the very end in order to achieve a just and fair outcome — for myself, for motorsport in Brazil, and for the sport as a whole.”
Ecclestone, who finds himself named in the suit alongside the FIA and Formula One Management, dismissed Massa’s legal proceedings as an absurd farce.
The architect of Grand Prix racing’s global empire refutes any whiff of conspiracy with the vigor of a man who's dodged more than a few scandals in his life.
"There is no way in the world anyone could change or cancel that race," he shot back to The Times.
"There is always something going on where someone would like to cancel it if they could. To try to persuade the president of the FIA to call a special meeting where the FIA would have to cancel the race — there were no provisions for that to happen."
Ecclestone, ever the pragmatist, pins the delay on evidentiary voids and image control, not malice.
"Max knew there was not enough evidence at the time to do anything. It only started later when young Nelson decided he wanted to say something when he found out he was not going to get a seat for the following year.
“Max was not saying we should cover this up but just that it was not good for the image of Formula 1."
But what about the interview that sparked this legal maelstrom? Ecclestone brands it a garbled mess, courtesy of cross-Channel miscommunication.
"This was an interview I gave to someone in Germany," he explained, frustration etching his explanation.
"And the guy at the time, his English wasn’t that good and he was taking notes, and it was picked up by someone in England.
“The lawyers for myself, the FIA and F1 do not understand how it can be heard in a court."
Ecclestone’s bafflement underscores the case's volatility: a 17-year-old ghost, armed with hindsight and hearsay, challenging the sport's unassailable annals.
Critics of Massa decry it as a cash grab; supporters hail it as overdue justice.
As the October case looms, the High Court showdown promises to peel back F1's polished veneer, forcing a reckoning on whether guardians like Ecclestone shielded the circus at the expense of its clowns.
In the coliseum of motorsport, where titles are forged in fire and controversy, Massa's gambit could either vindicate a villainized victor or bury "Crashgate" for good – leaving Lewis Hamilton's sevenfold legacy teetering in the crossfire.
Read also: Ecclestone’s tip for Horner: Forget F1, take MotoGP by storm!
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