A high court judge has ordered the FIA, Bernie Ecclestone and Formula One Management to pay Felipe Massa £250,000 costs in an ongoing legal dispute.
In November, a court ruling said the former F1 driver’s legal action against the defendants can go to trial. He had taken legal action over the 2008 “Crashgate” scandal during the Singapore Grand Prix.
The court ruled that Massa can try to recover damages in regards to the controversy but rejected his claim for a declaration that he should have won the 2008 drivers’ title.
In a court order seen by Sky Sports News, a judge ruled that the FIA, Formula One Management and Ecclestone must pay Massa £250,000 as part of the costs of the latest round of applications in the case.
However, the judge did grant part of the defendants’ applications and has certified that an important legal issue in the case should go straight to the Supreme Court for a decision. The defendants have 14 days to pay the costs.
Proceedings are now stayed pending the outcome of the Supreme Court application, although the parties must still exchange amended pleadings.
“I look forward to proving in court that they conspired to conceal the truth, and I will use all legal means to ensure that this injustice is corrected. Formula One is the greatest sport in the world, but it is essential that it is also the fairest,” Massa said in a statement.
Sky Sports News has contacted the FIA, Formula One Management and Bernie Ecclestone’s representatives for comment.
Lewis Hamilton’s first F1 world championship in 2008 is the subject of legal action, with Brazilian Massa saying he is the rightful winner of the title.
At the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Renault staged a win for Fernando Alonso by ordering Nelson Piquet Jr to crash, which brought out a safety car and meant Massa, who was leading the race for Ferrari, finished in 13th after his strategy was compromised. Massa lost the title by one point.
The following season, Piquet revealed he had been under instruction by his bosses to crash deliberately. Massa’s lawyers claim Ecclestone knew the crash was deliberate and that he and the FIA failed to investigate it.
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