F1, FIA and Ecclestone bid to throw out Massa's lawsuit over 2008 title

VIDEO SHOWS: FILE FOOTAGE OF BERNIE ECCLESTONE AND FELIPE MASSA SHOWS: MUNICH, GERMANY (FILE – AUGUST 5, 2014) (RTL – No access Germany) 1. BERNIE ECCLESTONE ARRIVING AT COURT ROOM / GREETING HIS DEFENCE TEAM 2. ECCLESTONE CLOSE UP PARIS, FRANCE (FILE – JUNE 24, 2009) (REUTERS – Access all) 3. ECCLESTONE ARRIVING AT FIA HEADQUARTERS 4. ECCLESTONE, MAX MOSLEY, AND LUCA DI MONTEZEMOLO SITTING DOWN TO PRESS CONFERENCE LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE – JULY 11, 2017) (REUTERS – Access all) 5. WILLIAMS F1 DRIVER FELIPE MASSA AT FILM PREMIERE/MASSA BEING INTERVIEWED SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (FILE – NOVEMBER 23, 2011) (REUTERS – Access all) 6. MASSA ARRIVING AT EVENT AND GREETING FANS AND MEDIA 7. CLOSE UP OF MASSA 8. CLOSE UP OF CAMERA OPERATOR 9. VARIOUS OF MASSA IN EVENT MARANELLO, ITALY (FILE – 2008) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (WIGE – No access internet and wireless) 10. FELIPE MASSA TALKING TO FERRARI STAFF 11. MASSA DRIVING FERRARI ON TRACK SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (FILE – NOVEMBER 2, 2008) (REUTERS PICTURES – Access all) (MUTE) 12. STILL – HAMILTON DRIVING IN BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX ON HIS WAY TO FINISHING FIFTH TO WIN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FROM MASSA WHO WON THE RACE 13. STILL – LEWIS HAMILTON CELEBRATES WINNING TITLE 14. STILL – LEWIS HAMILTON AND FELIPE MASSA SHAKE HANDS CARMUGELLO, ITALY (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (WIGE – For use in television broadcasts only. No internet/online/new media use) 15. MASSA DRIVES OUT OF THE GARAGE IN THE 2009 FERRARI 16. MASSA DRIVES OUT OF VIEW STORY: Formula One, its ex-boss Bernie Ecclestone and the governing FIA on Wednesday (October 29) sought to throw out Felipe Massa's lawsuit over the 2008 world championship, arguing the former Ferrari driver's mistakes were what cost the Brazilian the title. Massa is suing at London's High Court for a declaration that he should have won the 2008 championship, which he lost to Lewis Hamilton by a single point, and is seeking around 64 million pounds ($85.9 million) plus interest. His case turns on the "crashgate" scandal at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, which Massa was leading from pole position when fellow Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr crashed to try and help his Renault team mate Fernando Alonso, who won the race. Piquet in 2009 revealed he had been ordered to crash by team bosses, who were subsequently banned. Massa's lawyers say Ecclestone already knew the crash was deliberate and Ecclestone and then-FIA president Max Mosley failed to investigate it. Massa argues the results of the Singapore Grand Prix – which Hamilton finished third, scoring six points – should have been annulled with the result that he would have won the title. Lawyers for F1, Ecclestone and the FIA, however, say the case was brought too late and argue Massa and Ferrari's errors in Singapore – including a disastrous pitstop in which Massa accidentally knocked down a crew member – are the reason he lost the race and ultimately the championship. (Production: Sam Tobin and Simon Ormiston)

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