…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
McLaren has mocked former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa for his plans to take legal action against Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 F1 title, following recent revelations by ex-F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone.
Ecclestone had stated that he had convinced Nelson Piquet to keep quiet about the Renault Crashgate incident during the race, which ultimately allowed Hamilton to win the championship.
Massa had announced his intention to seek advice over a possible challenge to the title, which he narrowly missed out on.
However, McLaren responded to the news with a TikTok video, featuring a voice clip saying “denial is a river in Egypt”.
Massa was not amused by Ecclestone’s comments, stating that he had been told by Ferrari’s lawyers that a championship result could not be changed once the trophy had been awarded, even if there was evidence of theft.
He said that he and Ferrari had consulted other lawyers at the time, who had confirmed that nothing could be done.
Massa expressed disappointment that Ecclestone had known about the incident in 2008, but had chosen to do nothing, which meant that the championship result stood.
It is unclear whether Massa will pursue legal action, but McLaren’s social media team appears to be unconcerned by the possibility.
This is not the first time that Massa has lost a championship by a narrow margin.
He lost the 2007 title by one point to Kimi Raikkonen and was then beaten by Hamilton in 2008 by just one point.
If Massa does take legal action, it could have major ramifications for the F1 championship and could lead to Hamilton being stripped of his title.
Commentary: McLaren’s social media team seems to be taking a light-hearted approach to Massa’s plans to take legal action against Hamilton’s 2008 F1 title, but the situation could have serious implications for the sport if Massa decides to proceed.
It is not yet clear whether he will do so, but if he does, it could be argued that the FIA has a duty to investigate the matter, given the revelations made by Ecclestone.
The case could also lead to a review of the rules governing championship results and whether they can be challenged after the trophy has been awarded.
Read More On The Topic On TDPel Media