Alexandre
October 28, 2025 may well mark a turning point in the history of the F1. It is on this date that the High Court in London will begin examine Brazilian driver Felipe Massa's complaint against the FIA, concerning the outcome of the 2008 championship. A complex affair that plunges into the depths of the "Crashgate" scandal and could upset the way competition results are judged.
A title stolen at the last minute?
Felipe Massa, former Scuderia Ferrarialways believed that he had been deprived of his first world championship title due to a management error on the part of the FIA at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. This Grand Prix, where then Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed to favor the strategy of his teammate Fernando Alonso, opened a breach in the integrity of the competition. The crash triggered a safety car period that turned the teams' strategies, and the outcome of the race, upside down.
Massa, who was leading at the time, made a mistake when he left the pits prematurely after refuelling, taking the fuel hose with him. This blunder propelled him far behind, losing crucial points to rival Lewis Hamilton, who eventually won the championship by a single point at the end of the season.
The crashgate trial
Although the FIA acknowledged that Renault's move was an attempt to manipulate the result, it nevertheless enabled the team to retain its victory and the points acquired. Renault CEO Flavio Briatore and Technical Director Pat Symonds were banned, but Alonso's victory remained unchanged. For Massa, this is where the injustice lies: had the FIA reacted more quickly and cancelled the Singapore results before the end of the season, he might have been crowned champion instead of Hamilton.
This is what prompted the Brazilian driver to take the matter to court. Massa now demands 80 million euros in compensation for the losses he feels he has suffered, and for the FIA to recognize that he should have been world champion in 2008. A request which no longer aims to recover the title, but to obtain recognition that it was "stolen" from him under unfair conditions.
Why now?
Although the "Crashgate" scandal dates back to 2008, the affair took a new twist when the former F1 boss.., Bernie Ecclestone said the FIA should have cancelled the Singapore GP results earlier, as part of a wider review of the regulations. For Massa, this declaration was the last straw. After several failed attempts at amicable resolution, he had no choice but to turn to the courts.
The trial will take place between October 28 and 31, 2025, and will see representatives of the FIA and FOM (Formula One Management) appear alongside Massa.
Felipe Massa has always said that his fight is not just about money or the title, but about fairness in sport. "The courts will decide what the FIA and FOM have refused to deal with," he said. At 43, the Brazilian is fighting not only for recognition of his efforts, but also to ensure that similar events do not happen again in the future, thus guaranteeing the integrity of the competitions.