SAO PAULO: Former Formula One driver Felipe Massa has accused auto racing’s governing body of conspiring to prevent him from winning the 2008 title, and the Brazilian claimed he is the “rightful” champion.
Massa, who was the runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 season, made his claim in a letter sent to the FIA in the first step of a legal battle to take place in Britain.
A member of Massa’s management team told The Associated Press the letter was also sent to Formula One Management, alleging the two bodies failed to act after learning that same year that Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr.
had deliberately crashed at the Singapore Grand Prix to help then-teammate Fernando Alonso win the race. The crash caused a safety car to come in with Massa in the lead and squandered his advantage.