Toto Wolff says he is “curious” to see how Felipe Massa’s legal efforts to try and overturn the outcome of the 2008 F1 world championship will unfold and how the case may set a precedent of interest to Mercedes.
Massa has initiated legal action against Formula 1 and the FIA, alleging that the two – represented at the time by Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley – engaged in a conspiracy in the wake of the ‘Crashgate’ scandal in Singapore that deprived him of the 2008 world title.
The Brazilian driver’s lawyers contend that Massa suffered substantial financial losses amounting to tens of millions of euros due to forgone earnings and bonuses as a result of Nelson Piquet Jr’s deliberate crash in the 2008 Singapore GP which was orchestrated by the Renault team.
Fifteen years on, Massa’s sudden litigation over the controversial outcome of the 2008 title fight was triggered by comments made earlier this year by Ecclestone, who said that he and then FIA president Max Mosley had been made fully aware at the time of what had happened in Singapore but the pair chose to turn a blind eye to the incident in a bid to “protect the sport”.
Ecclestone has since denied the comments made last April to F1-Insider, insisting he does not remember the interview.
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Massa’s pursuit of a legal challenge in response to a lost championship has inevitably sparked speculation on whether a positive outcome for the Brazilian would set a legal precedent that would allow other parties to contest past contentious decisions made by the FIA.
One such decision that could gain renewed scrutiny is obviously the outcome of the 2021 championship, which took a controversial turn at the final round in Abu Dhabi when the FIA’s handling of a late safety car restart created an opportunity for Max Verstappen to seize victory and the title on the final lap.
On Friday in Singapore, Wolff said that Mercedes was closely monitoring the developments in Massa’s case and its potential broader implications.
“Well, interesting… interesting to follow,” said the Mercedes F1 team boss.
“[It’s] clearly not something that anybody saw coming. The rules are pretty clear in Formula 1. It’s a civil case behind it. It would certainly set a precedent, whatever it is. We’re looking from the sidelines with curiosity.”
Asked whether Mercedes could eventually mount its own challenge against F1 and the FIA regarding the outcome of the championship in 2021, Wolff replied: “The FIA commented on the 2021 race with a clear statement. So, that’s why we’re looking with interest.”
The Austrian’s deliberately evasive response may have been in reference to the FIA’s recognition of the mistakes it committed in Abu Dhabi by then F1 race director Michael Masi.
If Massa’s legal action successfully demonstrates that FIA decisions can be contested outside of the governing body’s jurisdiction, it might encourage Mercedes to reevaluate the events of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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