Confirmation arrived last week that former Sauber, Ferrari and Williams driver Massa had opened legal proceedings against Formula 1, its governing body the FIA and former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone over the 2008 Championship result, due to the controversy surrounding that year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Massa had been leading comfortably from pole position in his Ferrari, though the ensuing Safety Car period saw his race fall apart as he left the pit box with the fuel nozzle still attached.
Massa ultimately finished that race outside the points in P13, with a single point ultimately the fine margin which decided the 2008 title in Hamilton’s favour, the first of seven World Championship triumphs for the Brit.
Massa though is looking to re-write the history books via legal action and is confident that it will prove to be a successful endeavour.
The 2008 Singapore GP was the scene of the infamous ‘Crashgate’ scandal which saw Nelson Piquet Jr crash deliberately to help Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso win the race.
Bearman qualified 11th on the grid despite having just a single hour of practice to familiarise himself with Ferrari’s F1 car, before going on to score points with an outstanding drive to seventh place in Jeddah.
The Ferrari super-sub held off fellow Brit Lando Norris and also finished ahead of seven-time world champion Hamilton, who praised the youngster’s display.
“To be pulled out of your class and put straight into a Ferrari, a top team, and have to go straight into practice without long runs and all those sort of things, I think he did such a phenomenal job this weekend and it just shows that he’s really a bright future star,” said Hamilton, who is leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025.
