F1 News: Felipe Massa Insists He Isn't Fighting 'Crashgate' For Money - "Justice Of Sport"

Felipe Massa has spoken out on the 2008 championship again.

Former F1 driver Felipe Massa has recently commenced legal action regarding the notorious "Crashgate" incident of 2008 which left him from missing out on the championship title by just one point to Lewis Hamilton. This step was influenced by Bernie Ecclestone's, the former F1 chief, acknowledgement of having had prior knowledge about the controversial event earlier in the year.

The "Crashgate" controversy centred around the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, where Nelson Piquet Jr. intentionally crashed to supposedly favour his teammate, Fernando Alonso, in clinching the win. The premeditated nature of the crash was later admitted by Piquet Jr. in 2009. Massa's recent legal pursuits were instigated by Ecclestone's admission earlier this year about his awareness of the planned crash back in 2008, which he has now stated he does not remember saying in an interview. 

Dismissing financial motivations behind his actions, Massa emphasised his commitment to safeguarding Formula 1's integrity, despite seeking compensation for the lost income he would have had if he had won the championship. He expressed disappointment in the governing body, FIA, for not taking appropriate action in 2008, despite key stakeholders like Ecclestone and Charlie Whiting being informed about the situation. 

During an interview with Motorsport.com, Massa explained:

"I'm not doing this for the money, I'm doing it for the justice of the sport.

"It should be clear what he did, he crashed deliberately. With this, he manipulated the race and his teammate won."

The aftermath of this revelation has caused discernible strains in relationships. Massa has deliberately distanced himself from Piquet Jr. and has firmly stated his lack of intention to interact with the senior Piquet, an iconic three-time F1 world champion. Speaking on the matter, Massa was explicit in his criticism, highlighting the deliberate nature of the crash and its subsequent manipulation of race outcomes.