Toto Wolff: Felipe Massa legal challenge over 2008 title could leave F1 in disarray (2023)
 Posted on : Sep 21, 2023, 12:28PM   17 total views  Category : Sports

Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton embrace at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2008

Felipe Massa's second place in the 2008 World Championship was his best season in F1

 

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Felipe Massa's bid to overturn the result of the 2008 world championship won by Lewis Hamilton could lead to chaos.

 

Massa is taking legal action over an alleged "conspiracy" he says denied him the title, won by Hamilton for McLaren.

 

The Brazilian ex-Ferrari driver lost the 2008 title by a point to Hamilton.

 

"If everybody were to open up situations then the sport would be in disarray and especially when you look at the full championships," Wolff said.

 

"We are signing up to sporting regulations that are very clear and you commit [to] as a licence holder.

 

"So many things that have an influence whether you win or lose that I don't see the case to be honest."

 

Massa's action is based on the events and aftermath of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in which Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed.

 

Massa, 42, has alleged he was deprived of the title because the sport's leaders knew the race was manipulated, but took no action until a year later.

 

Wolff described the situation as a "soap opera" which was "playing out in front of me" but Massa reportedly said that the Austrian's comments showed "we are on the right path" and that "people in F1 are realising the seriousness and importance of our case".

 

Massa added: "I'm seeking justice, my childhood dream, a title for an entire nation, for Brazilians. And for the tifosi [Ferrari fans] too."

 

Hamilton lost the 2021 championship in controversial circumstances at the final race in Abu Dhabi to Red Bull's Max Verstappen when the safety car procedure was changed by now-departed race director Michael Masi.

 

-- Courtesy of BBC Sport

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