Formula 1: Former Ferrari Driver Set to Sue FIA Over 2008 Scandal

• Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 championship in the most controversial manner
• The then McLaren driver pipped Ferrari’s Felipe Massa to the title with a single point
• Massa is demanding compensation from the FIA regarding the event

The echoes of the 2008 Formula 1 crash gate scandal seem to have not completely faded away, as recent reports indicate that Ferrari's Felipe Massa is keen on taking legal action against the sports' hierarchy.

The former Brazilian driver has so far initiated a legal proceeding against both the Formula 1 management and the Federation International Automobile (FIA), asserting that a 'conspiracy' among the sports hierarchy prevented him from securing the 2008 championship title.

As reported by Reuters, Massa lost tens of millions in earnings and bonuses due to the crash of Renault’s Nelson Piquet, which the Brazilian has dubbed as an alleged interference.

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The retired driver has since sent a letter to all parties involved in this alleged scandal.

Massa's letter to the FIA

Massa's assertion finds its origin in the incident that transpired during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. In the course of this race, Nelson Piquet crashed his Renault, an event that ended up benefiting his teammate Fernando Alonso, who subsequently won the race.

The repercussions of Piquet's crash ripped through Massa's standings, ultimately causing him to lose the championship to Lewis Hamilton by a mere point.

Subsequently, in the following year, Piquet unveiled a shocking revelation that he had been instructed by the Renault team bosses to intentionally crash during the race.

This revelation raised substantial concerns within the sports hierarchy and prompted widespread scrutiny.

Massa's pursuit for justice was reignited after recent comments made by former Formula 1 chief executive, Bernie Ecclestone, per Planet F1, where he said:

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"We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal.

"He was cheated out of the title he deserved, while Hamilton had all the luck in the world and won his first championship."

The legal document sent from Enyo Law states:

"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.

"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."

It remains to be seen how the events concerning Massa’s claim will be treated. There is a chance Hamilton could be asked to relinquish one of his seven titles.

Hamilton advised against joining Ferrari

Sports Brief in a previous report stated that British Formula 1 driver, Lewis Hamilton has been warned against making a possible switch to Italian Formula 1 constructor Ferrari.

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According to Formula 1 analyst Peter Windsor, a move to the Maranello would plunge the driver’s career into chaos.

As reported by Sports Illustrated, Hamilton’s future at Mercedes has been up in the air with rumours that the driver is unhappy.

With just five months left to go on his existing deal, many teams on the grid have been linked with the seven-time champion.