F1 News: Former FIA President On 2008 Singapore GP - "Rigged And Should Have Been Cancelled"

Former FIA President Jean Todt supports the cancellation of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, citing it as "rigged" and acknowledging the psychological toll on driver Felipe Massa.

Former FIA President Jean Todt has supported Felipe Massa's call to cancel the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, citing the event as "rigged." Todt acknowledged the psychological impact this had on Massa, hinting at possible shortcomings in handling the controversy.

Key Takeaways:

• Jean Todt's Support: Jean Todt, ex-president of the FIA and former team principal at Ferrari, has backed Felipe Massa's request to annul the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix result.
• Psychological Impact on Massa: Todt recognised the incident as being "very hard for [Massa] psychologically," indicating the significant personal toll the event took on the driver.
• Retrospective Regret: Todt expressed a retrospective view, suggesting that the FIA "could have been tougher" when the scandal emerged and firmly stated, "There is no doubt that the Singapore Grand Prix was rigged and should have been cancelled."

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Jean Todt, who previously held the position of president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and served as team principal at Ferrari, has recently come forward to support Felipe Massa’s call for the cancellation of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix result. This endorsement comes amidst growing controversy surrounding the event.

Todt, while reluctant to dive deep into the controversy, did not shy away from acknowledging the significant psychological impact the event had on Massa. He stated in an interview with La Stampa:

“It was very hard for [Massa] psychologically."

Reflecting on the handling of the incident, Todt expressed a hint of regret. 

“Maybe we could have been tougher when this story became known.

“There is no doubt that the Singapore Grand Prix was rigged and should have been cancelled.”

The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix has been a subject of controversy, particularly regarding the circumstances under which it was conducted. Todt's recent statements add another layer to the debate, bringing forth the perspective of a highly influential figure in the world of Formula 1.