The spectre of revisiting the outcome of the 2008 Formula 1 championship, altered by the unfolding ‘Crashgate’ saga, has prompted Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur to express reservations about the consequences of altering historical results more than a decade later.
Vasseur’s comments come in the wake of Felipe Massa’s legal action seeking a reassessment of the championship standings from 2008.
The legal action initiated by Felipe Massa’s legal team hinges on the events surrounding the controversial ‘Crashgate’ incident during the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008.
Nelson Piquet Jr.’s deliberate crash during the race enabled his teammate, Fernando Alonso, to benefit from the resulting Safety Car deployment.
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It later emerged that this orchestrated manoeuvre played a pivotal role in the race outcome.
In 2009, the revelation of the orchestrated crash led to the dismissal of key Renault personnel, including team boss Flavio Briatore.
The FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, responded by taking significant disciplinary actions against the team.
Recently, former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone disclosed that he and then-FIA president Max Mosley were aware of the orchestrated incident in 2008, although no formal action was taken at the time.
Massa’s legal argument centres on this revelation, asserting that the knowledge of key officials impacts the integrity of the championship outcome.
Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur, in response to queries about Massa’s legal pursuits, exercised caution in his remarks.
He indicated, “As you can imagine, I don’t want to make any comment on this matter.
“I have a good relationship with all the stakeholders and it’s quite tricky.”
Vasseur’s approach underscores the complex dynamics surrounding revisiting historical events in the context of legal actions.
Addressing the broader implications beyond the ongoing legal proceedings, Vasseur expressed his reservations about altering outcomes long after the events transpired.
He remarked, “For sure, the circumstances were completely exceptional but more generally and not about Felipe, I think we’re also trying to [push] the FIA to know the result of the event at the chequered flag.
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“I don’t want to make any comments.
“For sure it would be strange.
“I am not a big fan of changing the result 15 minutes after the flag [let alone 15 years].”