Felipe Massa has revealed that his former Ferrari boss, Jean Todt, suspected immediately after the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that Nelson Piquet Jr had deliberately crashed. The Brazilian made the claim in a written witness statement released during a High Court hearing in London on October 29.
Massa is suing Formula One Management, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, and the FIA over what he says was a manipulated race that cost him the 2008 world title. He is seeking a declaration that he should have been champion and around £64 mln ($85.9 mln) in compensation.
Todt’s Immediate Suspicion After the 2008 Race
In his statement, Massa said Todt summoned him and team principal Stefano Domenicali to his office shortly after the race.
«Todt said he was sure Nelsinho crashed on purpose. I did not believe him because I know Jean Todt does not like Flavio Briatore — they had a personal rivalry,» Massa said.
Massa, who lost the 2008 championship to Lewis Hamilton by one point, told Todt at the time he could not imagine any driver crashing deliberately. He said he was «massively shocked» by a 2023 report alleging that Ecclestone and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the deliberate crash back in 2008 but failed to act.
The defence argues that Massa could have taken legal action in 2008 or 2009 and that his case has been filed too late.
Piquet’s Admission and Briatore’s Denial
Piquet Jr, son of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, admitted to the FIA in 2009 that he had been instructed to crash by Renault team bosses to benefit his teammate Fernando Alonso. Briatore, who received a lifetime ban later overturned in 2010, now oversees the Alpine team.
Massa also recalled encounters with Briatore and Piquet Jr after the controversy. At a restaurant in Bahrain in 2009, he asked Briatore directly if he had ordered the crash.
«Flavio Briatore denied that Nelsinho had crashed on purpose. I thought he was probably lying by the way he answered me,» Massa said.
Later that year, during a flight with Piquet Jr, Massa asked his compatriot the same question. Although Piquet denied it, Massa said he was unconvinced by his response.
Ferrari Reprimand and Alonso’s Denial
Massa said Ferrari reprimanded him in October 2009 after he told reporters he believed Fernando Alonso, who was set to join Ferrari the following year, had known about the crash.
Alonso, now racing for Aston Martin, has repeatedly denied any involvement and was cleared of wrongdoing by the FIA’s investigation.
Kursiv also reports that the FIA has confirmed that Aston Martin committed a procedural breach during the 2024 Formula 1 cost cap submission process.
