Ecclestone, FOM and FIA granted appeal against Massa trial

Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One Management (FOM) and the FIA have been granted permission to appeal against the decision to allow Felipe Massa’s 2008 conspiracy claim to proceed to full trial.

Massa has claimed the FIA, FOM and Ecclestone – who was then in charge of FOM – had conspired against him to deny him the Formula 1 drivers’ championship in 2008, with Lewis Hamilton winning by a single point. The claim centered around the “Crashgate” scandal at that year’s Singapore Grand Prix, when Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed deliberately during a race Massa was leading, and the Ferrari driver subsequently failed to score.

With Massa seeking compensation of close to £64 million ($84m), a hearing at London’s High Court last year allowed the claim for damages based on unlawful means conspiracy to proceed, although dismissed other claims – including Massa’s request for a declaration that he should have been world champion in 2008.

However, the Supreme Court has now granted the defendants – Ecclestone, FOM and the FIA – permission to appeal the decision to allow the outstanding claim to proceed to full trial. The defendants have “leapfrogged” the Court of Appeal to apply straight to the Supreme Court, and will have the opportunity to have the final claim dismissed.

When the original decision from the High Court was given in November of 2025, Massa said: “The truth will prevail at trial. We will leave no stone unturned. I am more determined and confident than ever. Justice will be done. For me, for the Brazilians, for the tifosi, for all motorsport fans, who deserve an honest sport, and for the future of Formula 1.

“I want to thank my outstanding legal team, my family and to God, who guided us and never let me lose my faith. Together we will see this through to the end.”