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High Court Clears Felipe Massa’s 2008 F1 Case for Trial

The judge found the conspiracy claim credible enough for trial, opening disclosure of internal emails and texts.

Overview

  • Judge Robert Jay rejected bids to strike out the lawsuit or secure summary judgment, sending the case to a full trial.
  • The ruling permits Massa’s lawyers to seek communications from the FIA, Formula One Management and Bernie Ecclestone.
  • The court signaled Massa is unlikely to prove a personal duty owed by the FIA, though conspiracy and inducement claims have a realistic prospect of success.
  • Any judgment will not change the 2008 championship result, meaning Lewis Hamilton remains champion and any remedy would be damages.
  • Massa is pursuing at least €75 million (about £64 million) tied to losses he links to the 2008 Singapore ‘Crashgate’ incident involving a deliberate crash by Nelson Piquet Jr.