NOVEMBER 3, 2025

Massa claims Ferrari silenced him over crashgate

Felipe Massa has told the London court that Ferrari attempted to stop him from speaking publicly about the 2008 'crashgate' scandal - and that his then-future teammate Fernando Alonso knew about the deliberate crash from the start.

In October 2009, I told journalists that I believe Fernando Alonso knew the crash was intentional, Massa said in his testimony as he sues the FIA, F1 and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

This assertion was not well-received at the time.

The Brazilian claims Ferrari's contract management company, GSA, drafted an official letter urging him to retract the comments. The letter was signed by Henry Peter, Massa said, referring to the Swiss lawyer who represented Ferrari.

According to Massa, Ferrari wanted him to make the statement public, but he refused. Ferrari then prepared a statement for me, but I refused to release it. Instead, I simply said it was time to look ahead, he explained.

Massa, who lost the 2008 world championship by a single point to Lewis Hamilton, also testified that Jean Todt, Ferrari's team principal at the time - and father of Massa's manager Nicolas Todt - already believed the Renault crash was deliberate.

Todt said he was convinced Nelsinho had crashed the car on purpose, Massa said. I didn't believe it at the time because I knew how much Jean disliked Flavio Briatore. There was a personal rivalry between them at the time.

The revelations come as Massa continues legal proceedings over alleged inaction following the Singapore GP scandal, which he claims cost him the 2008 world title.

(GMM)