Ecclestone counters as Massa case approaches.
"I completely forgot about the bloody interview."
25 September 2025 - 10:06
Bernie Ecclestone has minimized claims that Formula 1’s officials intentionally concealed the facts surrounding the 2008 'Crashgate' scandal, just weeks ahead of Felipe Massa’s lawsuit arriving in a London court. The former F1 chief, who will turn 95 on the first day of the hearings on October 28, told The Times that there was never a way to cancel the controversial Singapore Grand Prix that year, despite Massa’s assertions that the race should have been nullified.
"There is no way in the world anyone could change or cancel that race," Ecclestone stated. "There were no provisions for that to occur. Max (Mosley) was aware that there wasn't enough evidence at the time to take any action."
He maintained that the late FIA president did not aim for a cover-up. "Max was not suggesting we should hide this but rather that it wasn't beneficial for Formula 1's image," Ecclestone remarked.
Massa, the former Brazilian Ferrari driver who narrowly lost the 2008 championship to Lewis Hamilton, contends that the Renault team's intentional crash should have invalidated the race—a position strengthened last year when Ecclestone was quoted in Germany claiming Hamilton "shouldn't have" won the championship. However, Ecclestone now asserts that his comment has been misinterpreted.
"This was an interview I gave to someone in Germany. The individual’s English at the time wasn’t very good, and he was taking notes. It was picked up by someone in England," Ecclestone clarified. "I didn’t even recall the bloody interview until the lawyers presented it. The lawyers for myself, the FIA, and F1 don't understand how it can be presented in court."
Massa, 44, continues to refer to the situation as a "conspiracy" that has negatively impacted both himself and Brazil, characterizing his legal battle as a moral quest for justice and a precedent for the future. He is seeking tens of millions in damages.
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