F1 legend Felipe Massa starts legal action that could see Lewis Hamilton STRIPPED of his first ever drivers’ title
FELIPE MASSA has launched legal action that could ultimately see Lewis Hamilton stripped of his maiden F1 crown.
The Brazilian legend alleges that a “conspiracy” over “Crashgate” in 2008 helped deny him his ONLY crown by one point.
Massa has sent F1 and FIA chiefs a Letter Before Claim – a notice ahead of court proceedings – as he wants compensation.
Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed at the Singapore Grand Prix 15 years ago to help Renault team-mate and eventual winner Fernando Alonso.
In contrast, Ferrari cocked up Massa’s pitstop – leaving him out of the points after he had led the race.
Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone then stunned motorsport earlier this year by admitting he and ex-FIA president Max Mosley discovered the Renault plot later in 2008.
Ecclestone said the duo kept quiet to “protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal”.
But those shock revelations have led to Massa’s new move.
And if his legal manoeuvres succeed, they might spark action, from one body or another, on the first of Hamilton’s record-equalling seven titles.
Reuters quote London-based Enyo Law as saying Massa, 42 was “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One Management”.
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The legal firm believe Renault’s crash tactics deprived the ex-driver from Sao Paulo of tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses.
The letter adds: “Simply put, Mr Massa is the rightful 2008 Driver’s Champion, and F1 and FIA deliberately ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title,” said the letter.
“Mr Massa is unable to fully quantify his losses at this stage but estimates that they are likely to exceed tens of millions of Euros.
“This amount does not cover the serious moral and reputational losses suffered by Mr Massa.”
F1 have so far not responded to the letter.
And when asked about his comments on Crashgate, 92-year-old Ecclestone told Reuters “I don’t remember any of this” .