Felipe Massa finds himself cornered by a $1,000,000 legal impediment on his way to sue the FIA and F1. The Brazilian motoring legend wants 7x champion Lewis Hamilton to be stripped of his maiden win, which came back in 2008. Massa believes he’s the rightful champion of that year. Hence, he has threatened the sport with legal consequences. However, despite being handed a $1,000,000 impediment, he has issued a fiery warning to Hamilton, per Express UK.
According to Massa, he has a wealth of experience backing his proposed legal tussle with the FIA and Formula 1. And he wants the sport to know this. “They are people who worked for a long time on cases like this,” Massa told Infobae (as quoted by Express UK) while talking about his legal team. His team is currently waiting for a formal response from the FIA. Depending on that outcome, Massa may approach a Court or a Tribunal.
The $1,000,000 impediment that Massa faces is known as a ‘security of costs.’ Basically, the Brazilian will most likely be asked to deposit the sum in cash as a security before proceeding with the matter before the appropriate forum.
The scandal that started it all off
It has taken Massa 15 years to finally come forward with his demands. But there is a pretty good reason behind it, too. It was actually Bernie Ecclestone who kickstarted the retaliation of what happened back in 2008. “Bernie Ecclestone said in an interview that the 2008 championship is mine for him and that the race in Singapore should be canceled,” explained the Brazilian.
Massa has called the 2008 championship ‘manipulated’. But why? Well, Massa lost the championship to Hamilton by a single point at the Brazilian GP. However, during the Singapore GP earlier in the year, Massa lost out on big points when Fernando Alonso’s Renault teammate, Nelson Piquet Jr., purposefully crashed out of the race to bring out a Safety Car that handed Alonso the preferential strategy.
What really irks Massa is the way things were dealt with later to sweep the matter under the rug. “They did not do it, and they knew in 2008 of the manipulation. The result should have been canceled.”
Lewis Hamilton brushes aside Felipe Massa’s fight to protect his legacy
Earlier this year, Sky Sports quoted Lewis Hamilton as saying, “I’m really not focused on what happened 15 years ago or two years ago. I’m focused on right now,” when asked about Massa’s plans to come after his maiden title.
While Hamilton may not believe in Massa’s cause, the Brazilian is bullish about the fact that he’s not in this for the money. However, he does admit a hefty payout is on the horizon if he succeeds. “Surely, in the fight, there is money to claim, but I base the claim on the championship. The trophy is the most important thing for me,” ensured the Brazilian.
In the end, Massa has pledged to keep fighting “for the sport, for me, for my country, for the fans, for Ferrari.”
