Former F1 boss says Felipe Massa is ‘right to sue in English court’

Former Formula One leader Bernie Ecclestone expressed on Tuesday that Felipe Massa’s decision to pursue recognition as the 2008 world champion in the London High Court is justified. Massa, the Brazilian former Ferrari driver, initiated legal action against Formula One Management (FOM), the International Automobile Federation (FIA), and Ecclestone, seeking compensation of approximately £64 million ($82 million) plus interest. Ecclestone, speaking from Brazil to Reuters, stated that if he were Massa’s manager, he would have advised pursuing the case in England.

Ecclestone, a 93-year-old Briton, emphasized the suitability of suing in England for a straightforward case without any personal bias. He suggested that a favorable statement from an English judge could be beneficial for Massa. Drawing on his own legal experience in the UK, Ecclestone highlighted the potential advantages of legal proceedings in England. Ecclestone, known for his involvement in British legal matters, notably paid £652.6 million last October, avoiding jail time after pleading guilty to misleading Britain’s tax authority about overseas assets.

In 2014, Ecclestone won a High Court case against German media company Constantin Medien, which sought $100 million in damages related to the sale of a stake in the sport. That same year, he paid $100 million to settle a bribery trial in Germany. Massa’s legal claim emphasizes Ecclestone’s quote, stating that Massa was unjustly denied the 2008 world championship due to the Singapore Grand Prix scandal. Ecclestone reiterated his lack of recollection of the statement, attempting unsuccessfully to find a recording.

Felipe Massa has filed a lawsuit in London against the FIA, Formula One Management and Bernie Ecclestone over the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. pic.twitter.com/tflHxNWsiH

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The Singapore Grand Prix incident involved Massa leading the race when Nelson Piquet Jr., his compatriot, crashed into the wall, triggering the safety car. Piquet later revealed that team bosses, subsequently banned, had ordered him to crash. Massa contends that the FIA breached its regulations by failing to promptly investigate the crash and cancel the race result, which would have declared him the champion. The FIA and FOM, part of U.S. company Liberty Media, have not issued statements regarding Massa’s legal action.