Bernie Ecclestone at the British Grand Prix. Photo: RacePictures.

Massa seeks $82 million, Ecclestone dismisses cover-up claims

18:10, 25 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed Felipe Massa’s ongoing legal case regarding the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. The 94-year-old former F1 boss was clear that cancelling the race was never an option.

Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton during the 2008 season. Photo: Race Pictures

This was an interview I gave to someone in Germany and the guy at the time, his English wasn’t that good and he was taking notes, and it was picked up by someone in England.

- Bernie Ecclestone

“There is no way in the world anyone could change or cancel that race,” Ecclestone said. “There is always something going on where someone would like to cancel it if they could.

“To try to persuade the president of the FIA to call a special meeting where the FIA would have to cancel the race - there were no provisions for that to happen.

“Max knew there was not enough evidence at the time to do anything. It only started later when young Nelson decided he wanted to say something when he found out he was not going to get a seat for the following year.

“Max was not saying we should cover this up but just that it was not good for the image of Formula 1.”

Ecclestone added that he did not even recall the interview with F1 Insider that Massa’s lawyers have built their case on: “I didn’t even remember the bloody interview until the legal challenge by Massa.

"This was an interview I gave to someone in Germany and the guy at the time, his English wasn’t that good and he was taking notes, and it was picked up by someone in England.”

He also stressed that the case itself should never have made it this far: “The lawyers for myself, the FIA and F1 do not understand how it can be heard in a court.”

Massa’s claim in 2008 title loss

During the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Nelson Piquet Jr. was ordered to crash his car into the wall. This would trigger a Safety Car, which would play in Renault’s bid favor to hand Fernando Alonso a shot at the win.This altered the course and the result of the race with a botched Ferrari pit stop to deepen the blow.

Since Ecclestone’s infamous F1-Insider interview Massa took it upon himself to challenge Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 title. The Brazilian is seeking 82 million dollars in damages following what he believes to have been an unjust loss in the title fight vs Hamilton.

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