Jean Todt has supported Felipe Massa’s argument that the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix ought to have been dropped from the record books due to the fact it turned out to be evidently “rigged”.
Former FIA president Jean Todt has sided with Felipe Massa with regard to the controversial 2008 Singapore race arguing that the “rigged” race should have been “cancelled” and wiped from the record books.
Massa has filed a lawsuit against the FIA and Formula 1 for allegedly plotting to cover up the 2008 Singapore GP “Crashgate” incident.
Massa and his legal team are seeking a large settlement, alleging a “conspiracy” linked to the “Crashgate” was sparked by Piquet.
Massa’s legal team has been actively gathering documents from pertinent parties involved in the case since he filed his case with the courts.
According to recent claims made by Bernie Ecclestone, he along with Max Mosley and Charlie Whiting were all aware that in 2008 Nelson Piquet Jr. had crashed in Singapore on purpose to help Renault win the race.
The eventual race winner, Fernando Alonso was able to take the lead after pitting for new tires as a result of the incident. Afterwards, the FIA concluded that Renault deliberated Piquet Jr.’s crash, which was intentional.
He pointed out that in order to preserve F1’s reputation, F1 executives held this information in secret. However, Ecclestone has since asserted that he has “no memory” of making such a claim.
Massa was severely impacted by the incident as he finished far out of the points due to a disastrous pit stop at Marina Bay under the Safety Car. Lewis Hamilton who was his rival, earned six points for finishing in third place and went on to win the race in Brazil by just one point.
Massa is still waiting on Ferrari’s official support, but Todt—the Ferrari team principal overseeing Massa at the time—agrees that the Singapore Grand Prix should be officially wiped from the record books.
Todt believes Ferrari could have put more pressure on the FIA after what transpired at the time while speaking to La Stampa about the circumstances at the time.
“I’m not going to get into the controversy. It was very hard for him psychologically,” he said. “Maybe we could have been tougher when this story became known.
“There is no doubt that the Singapore Grand Prix was rigged and should have been cancelled.”
Todt’s remarks offer some degree of validation for Massa’s viewpoint on the matter, even though they do not directly bolster Massa’s legal claims against F1 and the FIA.
Given that Todt is a well-respected figure in the sport and a former President of the FIA, his influence may also be felt in the court case.
The Frenchman’s remarks have certainly added another level of mystery to the current legal battle between Felipe Massa and F1/FIA, though it is unclear what the full implications of his remarks will be.
Todt announced his resignation as Ferrari’s CEO early in 2009, just months after Massa’s disappointment at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix. He began a successful 12-year tenure as FIA president by the end of 2009, and currently he is frequently spotted in the paddock as a special guest.
Should Massa be successful in having the result overturned, Michael Schumacher would regain his position as the undisputed leader in Formula One world championships with seven victories, while Hamilton would only have six.
