Former F1 driver Felipe Massa brings $85M claim over 2008 title loss to London court

LONDON (AP) – Felipe Massa’s claim for $85 million in a legal case against Formula One was described in court Wednesday as a “misguided attempt” to reopen the 2008 drivers’ championship that he lost to Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton’s first F1 title is the subject of civil action in London brought by the Brazilian against former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One Management and the FIA governing body.

Lawyers for the defendants applied Wednesday for the case to be thrown out.

Massa, who never won a drivers’ title, believes he was the rightful winner in 2008. He missed it by a single point after a deliberate crash at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Renault team staged a win for Fernando Alonso by ordering Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash. That brought out a safety car and led to Massa finishing 13th after his strategy was compromised.

Piquet revealed the next season he had been told by team bosses to crash deliberately.

Ecclestone, the longtime F1 boss before being ousted in 2017, suggested two years ago the sport’s executives were aware of the cover-up during the 2008 campaign.

Massa was at the High Court to bring claims for breach of contract or duty and loss of earnings and sponsorship. His lawyers say Ecclestone knew the crash was deliberate and that he and the FIA failed to investigate it.

In written submissions, Ecclestone’s lawyer David Quest said Massa’s claims “are a misguided attempt to reopen the results of the 2008 F1 drivers’ championship.”

Representing the FIA, John Mehrzad said Massa’s claim “conspicuously overlooks a catalogue of his own errors.”

Massa’s lawyer Nick De Marco argued the case should go to a full trial with “a real prospect of succeeding on all of the grounds.”

The hearing before a single judge is due to end Friday. A ruling is likely at a later date.