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Former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt now acknowledges that the controversial ‘Crashgate’ race during Lewis Hamilton’s title-winning season in 2008 should have been called off. Felipe Massa, driving for Ferrari at that time, is pursuing significant damages due to the impact of the Singapore Grand Prix on that year’s championship, ultimately won by Hamilton. The revelation by Bernie Ecclestone earlier this year regarding ‘Crashgate’ prompted legal action from Massa, alleging that he was a “victim of a conspiracy.”
Todt, who served as FIA president for 12 years starting in 2009, admits that the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was indeed manipulated, expressing the opinion that the race results should have been invalidated. He acknowledges the psychological toll on Massa, suggesting that the FIA could have been more stringent when the scandal surfaced.
Ecclestone disclosed in March that both he and then-FIA president Max Mosley were aware of the ‘Crashgate’ scandal in 2008 but chose not to publicize it to avoid a “huge scandal” in the sport. Despite Ecclestone’s comments, he later claimed not to remember giving the interview.
Massa’s legal representatives, in an August letter, argue that the Brazilian driver suffered substantial financial losses, totaling tens of millions of euros, due to missing out on the 2008 title. Ecclestone’s statements earlier this year triggered renewed controversy around the 2008 title, suggesting that the race in Singapore should have been canceled according to the rules.
Hamilton, when questioned about the matter before the Dutch Grand Prix in August, refrained from commenting, stating a limited recollection and emphasizing his focus on the current season.
Despite the looming legal action, Massa faces challenges in officially overturning the result, as the FIA’s International Sporting Code specifies a 14-day expiration period for protests and reviews after a competition, four days prior to the year-end prize-giving ceremony. Additionally, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lacks jurisdiction over the FIA in matters like this, making the independent International Court of Appeal the highest authority in the sport.
Massa’s F1 career peaked in the 2008 season, while Hamilton has gone on to achieve six more titles with Mercedes, sharing the record of seven F1 World Championships with Michael Schumacher.