Hamilton beware! Title fight in the courtroom draws near amid Massa's bold taunts
Felipe Massa got behind the wheel of his 2008 Ferrari at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, reflecting on what he still considers the best year of his career.
"It's just an amazing feeling to drive the 2008 car after a long time," said Massa. "This was definitely my best year. A car that we managed to win five times. It was the last constructors' championship of Ferrari... also mine, I would say," he added with a smile.
"But anyway, it's just an amazing moment, you know, to be here in Goodwood, to see all of these amazing people. And it's a great feeling to drive again this car after a long time," the Brazilian closed on his Goodwood participation.
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Massa's courtroom title battle to be held in October, for which Ecclestone opened the door
Massa was warmly received by fans as he made his return in the F2008, the machine that nearly made him world champion. Despite crossing the line first in the season finale in Brazil, Massa lost the title to Lewis Hamilton by a single point.
That outcome remains a source of controversy due to the 'Crashgate' incident in Singapore earlier that year. Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed to help teammate Fernando Alonso win, a move that altered the course of the race, and possibly the championship, as Bernie Ecclestone's claims to F1 Insider in 2023 revealed, which was the lifeline the Brazilian driver took a hold of to take the matter to court.
The former F1 Supremo himself admitted that, under FIA statutes, the Singapore race should have been canceled. "Then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton... today I would have arranged things differently," he said.
Massa has since launched official legal proceedings against Formula 1, the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, seeking justice for what he believes was a manipulated result.
The former Ferrari and Williams driver hopes the court will bring clarity. “I hope the correct thing happens, for justice, for something that was not part of the sport that punished me big time,” he said regarding the upcoming trial.
The trial is scheduled for October in the King’s Bench Division of the High Court.
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