During the ongoing trial related to the 2008 crashgate scandal, Felipe Massa has even brought Ferrari into the discussion. After hearing the statements of the FIA representatives and Bernie Ecclestone, the Brazilian driver had the chance to share his side of the story in an attempt to shed light on one of Formula 1’s most controversial episodes — the events that ultimately cost him the world title while driving for Ferrari.
According to Felipe Massa, there are all the elements for a potential multimillion-dollar compensation claim against those accused. For this reason, the former Ferrari driver has decided to pursue legal action which, more than fifteen years later, could reveal new and intriguing behind-the-scenes details about that championship.
The first statements from Felipe Massa
The first responses came from the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone who, as expected, highlighted the many years that have passed since the events and pointed out that Felipe Massa himself made several mistakes during that season. Then it was the Brazilian’s turn to speak — and he brought up some new episodes, revealing what Ferrari’s reaction had been at the time.
“Jean Todt called me into his office and told me that Nelsinho had crashed into the barriers on purpose. But I didn’t believe him, because there wasn’t a good relationship between him and Flavio Briatore. That’s why, when I met Flavio in Bahrain the following year, I asked him to confirm what Todt had said. He denied it, even though I immediately thought he was lying,” Felipe Massa stated during the hearing.
The former Ferrari driver also added, “At Ferrari they didn’t like my comments suggesting that Fernando Alonso knew everything about the crash. Because of that, I was reprimanded.”
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