P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Felipe Massa is seeking to be recognised as the rightful F1 drivers’ champion from 2008.
Felipe Massa’s lawsuit against Bernie Ecclestone, F1, and the FIA has commenced, with his quest to be acknowledged as the true F1 drivers’ champion from 2008 at the forefront.
While Massa is not aiming to strip Lewis Hamilton of his title, his potential victory could mark a significant chapter in F1’s history.
The Brazilian driver, who suffered a severe injury in 2009 and subsequently lost some of his speed, never had another shot at the championship after 2008.
The lawsuit revolves around Ecclestone’s claim that he and FIA president Max Mosley were aware of the crashgate scandal before the end of the 2008 season.
Had the Singapore Grand Prix that year been annulled due to cheating, Massa would have clinched the championship over Hamilton.
Massa, aged 44, is also pursuing damages of approximately £64 million in lost earnings as an F1 champion, and for the FIA to admit its failure in promptly looking into the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix debacle.
