Felipe Massa’s lawyers have allowed the FIA and Formula One Management an extension to conclude their internal investigations into the outcome of the 2008 World Drivers’ Championship. Former Formula One star Massa believes he is the victim of a conspiracy that led to him losing the title to Lewis Hamilton that year.
Massa alleges that there was a conspiracy to cover up the outcome of the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008. Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jnr is claimed to have crashed on purpose to allow Fernando Alonso to win.
If that result had been thrown out, Massa would have won the World Championship. Instead, he lost to then-McLaren ace Hamilton by one point.
Massa’s legal team insist that he missed out on “tens of millions of euros” as well as suffering reputational damage. They gave both organisations until October 12 to respond, but that deadline has since been pushed back.
“FIA and FOM are completing an internal investigation,” lawyer Bernardo Viana told PlanetF1. “They have requested one last extension to the deadline they initially asked for, from October 12 to November 15.
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“We have agreed to this final period because, if the new administration is indeed looking into the matter in good faith, they will certainly reach the same conclusion we and so many people around the world have.
“We would like to know what Formula One’s new leadership’s position is on the recently disclosed scandal and the injustice faced by Felipe Massa.”
Massa has not been in the paddock since taking an interest in legal action in March, prompted by since-retracted claims by then-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone that the authorities were aware of Piquet’s underhanded tactics.
“People sometimes don’t like to talk about it,” Massa recently said. “They prefer to talk about it up close, rather than in the media, which I completely understand. But this definitely doesn’t change anything in my fight for justice.
“I don’t see why Ferrari wouldn’t be on my side … Because we lost the championship, they took the championship away from us, from me and from Ferrari.
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“When you hear Toto Wolff talking about 2021, Ferrari would need to do the same. So, Ferrari needs to fight for the best of the team and I don’t really see Ferrari far from manipulation, as happened to me.
“So at this point, they haven’t really said, ‘OK, we’re together.’ I think they’re waiting to see what’s going to happen, but what I’m saying is I’m doing this for my country, I’m doing this for my fans, I’m doing this for myself, I’m doing this for my family, I’m doing this for Ferrari, I’m doing this for the fans, the most incredible F1 fans, who are the Ferrari fans.
“So if Ferrari wants to come in, they are totally welcome. Otherwise, I’m doing this for justice and that’s the most important thing to me.”
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