F1 News: Former Champion On Felipe Massa’s “Ludicrous” Lawsuit - “Should Be Embarrassed”

Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve hits out at Felipe Massa for his "ludicrous" lawsuit against Formula One Management, the FIA, and former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone.

Author:
Lydia Mee
Apr 03, 2024

Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, has branded Felipe Massa's lawsuit over the 2008 Championship as "ludicrous" and suggested Massa should feel "embarrassed" by his actions.

Key Takeaways:

Jacques Villeneuve criticises Felipe Massa's lawsuit regarding the 2008 F1 Championship as baseless and ridiculous.
Massa is seeking justice for what he perceives as an unfair loss due to the 'Crashgate' scandal, demanding substantial compensation.
The lawsuit questions the governance and ethical oversight within Formula 1, especially concerning controversial incidents.

undefined — NASCAR Jacques Villeneuve

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Former F1 driver Felipe Massa has decided to take legal action against the FIA, Formula One Management (FOM), and ex-F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, stemming from controversies surrounding the 2008 season's conclusion. The crux of Massa's contention lies in the infamous 'Crashgate' incident during the Singapore Grand Prix, which he argues cost him the championship title to Lewis Hamilton by a mere point.

Villeneuve expressed disbelief at Massa's decision to pursue legal action years after the event. He questions the rationale behind revisiting a concluded season, drawing parallels with historical sports controversies like Maradona's 'Hand of God', which are typically accepted as part of sport's unpredictable nature. Villeneuve's perspective is clear: in sports, results, once declared, are final and unchangeable, regardless of subsequent revelations or feelings of injustice. Villeneuve explained to OLBG:

"I find it ludicrous. I am trying to understand what is going on in his mind. What is behind his thinking? I don’t know.

"There is no legal basis for his appeal. It is madness. But with judges you never know how it will end up. That is what is scary and dangerous.

"What about Maradona and the Hand of God at the 1986 World Cup? Do you try to challenge things like that now? Of course not. You can’t.

"There is a certain time when at a certain time a result is declared. It is too bad. That is life. You win some, you lose some. You can’t just cancel a race where every driver has been risking their lives, for the rest of the field who adapted to the situation now knowing what was going on.

"At the end of the day, they screwed up their own race. It is the most ludicrous thing I have heard in a long time. Felipe should be embarrassed."

On the other side, Massa recently broke his silence, firm in his belief that the lawsuit is justified, pointing to a lack of investigation into the 'Crashgate' scandal by F1's authorities as a failure of governance. The Brazilian driver is adamant about seeking compensation, with claims amounting to over $80 million in damages. He commented during a Formula E event in Sao Paulo:

"I think I've said everything I'm supposed to say about that. I said in the interviews, it's something that we will fight until the end, and this is the only thing I can say, it does not depend on me anymore.

"It depends on the lawyers. We have a very, very good group of people, professional people working on that.

"I really believe that we have a bigger case and every possibility to win the case. But to be honest, it's not on me anymore.

"The only thing I can say is that we are fighting for the justice, because it was not fair what happened to me.

"As I said, that's the only thing I can say, I'm here to talk about Formula E."