The trial for Massa to reclaim the 2008 F1 championship title will be held soon

The wheels of justice turn slowly for Felipe Massa. The former driver addressed the court more than a year and a half ago regarding the controversial elements related to the 2008 World Championship.

The Brazilian wants to contest the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of having them annulled. These results have been modified. The case is related to the Crashgate scandal during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, where Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed to benefit his teammate Fernando Alonso. Massa claims that if the FIA had acted correctly at the time, the race result would have been altered, allowing him to win the world title instead of Lewis Hamilton.

The important element here is that the former Formula 1 leader, Bernie Ecclestone, acknowledged in a 2023 interview that he had been informed, along with Max Mosley who was then president of the FIA, of the scheming that took place. However, no action was taken that day to preserve the image of the pinnacle discipline.

In this case, Massa has brought his case before the High Court in London. The initial hearings have now been scheduled: **Between October 28 (Ecclestone’s 95th birthday) and October 31, 2025,** representatives of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Formula 1 Management (FOM), and, of course, Ecclestone are invited to appear before the court to address the legal aspects of the case.

Massa has shown himself convinced of his fight for justice, as the Brazilian says, despite the long legal process: What I definitely aspire to is to be recognized. Recognized as a champion, because I deserve it.

The former driver refers to various articles of the FIA regulations, such as: the duty for the FIA to examine allegations of misconduct, the International Sporting Code which stipulates that the FIA must act with impartiality and fairness, as well as Article 151(c) concerning sanctions for fraudulent conduct.

Massa requests that the FIA acknowledge having acted against its own regulations by not investigating the circumstances of the Crashgate. He is also claiming damages estimated at around €75 million for financial losses incurred, including unreceived bonuses and missed opportunities.

However, experts consider it highly unlikely that the former Ferrari driver will retroactively obtain the world champion title. Instead, financial compensation for lost income, such as his advertising contracts, is likely to be put on the table.

In London, from the end of October, everything will be summed up in a single concern: the money that the Brazilian could receive.