MOST LAPS LEAD WITHOUT WINNING A TITLE | FORMULA 1

 

MOST RACE STARTS | FERRARI | FORMULA 1

 

NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS THE CO-IWNER OF LE MANS FC

Novak Djokovic has officially become a co-owner of Ligue 2 club Le Mans FC! 🇫🇷⚽

He’ll be joined by former Formula 1 drivers Kevin Magnussen and Felipe Massa, along with Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, as part of the ownership group. 🚗💨

MOST POINTS SCORED FOR FERRARI

 

TIMO GLOCK ON THE 2008 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

 Timo Glock has revealed that after the 2008 Brazil GP, he was transported to the airport under police escort due to the 'freak show' of backlash from fans. 

On the last lap, Hamilton dramatically overtook Glock to clinch the title off Felipe Massa, who would have otherwise won. 

The German explained: "I just tried to keep the car on the track and survive. A lot of cars passed me. I didn't really pay attention when Sebastian and Lewis overtook me [...after the race] camera guys and journalists run down towards me. I just moved to the side because I thought they all wanted to go to Lewis. They come to me and ask me those questions."

 #mickschumacher #F1News #F1 #GPblog #FormulaE #f1 #Sainz #redbullracing #albon #sargeant #Williams #mercedesamg #lewishamilton44 #mercedes #marko #Perez #lewishamiltonf1 #sergioperez #RedBullF1 #maxverstappenfans #sergiopérez #maxverstappen33 #mclaren #monacograndprix #ricciardo

- GP Blog

MASSA SUES FIA, FOM AND ECCLESTONE IN BID TO CLAIM 2008 TITLE

Felipe Massa believes he should be awarded the 2008 championship. Getty

 Former Formula One driver Felipe Massa said on Monday he had filed a lawsuit in a London court against auto racing's governing body FIA, series owner Formula One Management (FOM) and FOM's former CEO Bernie Ecclestone amid his attempt to claim the 2008 title.

The 42-year-old Brazilian added that he is seeking to receive a minimum of $82 million in damages, a document obtained by The Associated Press showed. That amount included prize money he lost and other potential deals he would have obtained as a F1 champion.

Massa, who has said since last year he is the "rightful" champion of 2008 due to the incident known as 'Crashgate,' was the runner-up in the Driver's Championship to Lewis Hamilton.

"I always said I was going to fight until the end," Massa said in the statement.

"Since the FIA and FOM decided not to do anything, we will seek to right this historical injustice in court. The matter is now for our lawyers and they are fully authorized to do whatever is necessary so justice in sport is served."

Former Ferrari and Williams driver Massa, who retired in 2017, was leading the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix when fellow-Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed his Renault into the wall on lap 14 of the 61-lap race.

The crash triggered a safety car that benefited his team mate Fernando Alonso, who went on to win while Massa failed to score after a bungled pitstop.

Hamilton, racing for McLaren at the time and now an honorary Brazilian citizen, eventually beat Massa by a point for the first of his record-equalling seven championships.

Michael Schumacher, Massa's former Ferrari team mate and close friend of the Brazilian during his racing career, is the only other driver to have won seven titles.

F1 had a rule at the time that the outcome of a championship could not be changed after the end of season awards ceremony.

Massa's filing said he wants "a declaration that the FIA acted in breach of its own regulations in failing to investigate the circumstances of the crash promptly in 2008" and "a declaration that if the FIA had not acted in breach of its own regulations, it would have canceled or adjusted the results of the Singapore Grand Prix with the consequence that Mr Massa would have won the drivers' championship in 2008.

"The defendants' actions caused significant financial loss to the claimant," the document added. News about the race-fixing scandal involving Piquet Jr. emerged the following year.

Ecclestone told the British Press Association he agreed the case should go to court.

"If he had asked me, I would have said it was the complete right thing to do, to sue, and to let an English judge decide what is right and wrong," Ecclestone said.

"I cannot say anything about the outcome and what will happen. From his point of view, it is better that an English judge comes up with a verdict. It will be of more help for him."

Information from the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services

WOLFF SAYS F1 RISKS DISARRAY IF MASSA SUCCEEDS IN TITLE BID

Reuters

Formula One risks disarray in the unlikely event of Felipe Massa winning a threatened legal claim for the 2008 world championship, according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

Former Ferrari driver Massa, now 42, has alleged he was denied the title by a "conspiracy" because the sport's leaders knew the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was manipulated but took no action until a year later.

The Brazilian lost that title by a point to Britain's Lewis Hamilton, then at McLaren and now at Mercedes and a seven-time world champion.

EXCLUSIVE: MOTOR RACING-MASSA'S LAWYERS SEEK COMPENSATION FOR LOST 2008 F1 TITLE

Reuters 

Lawyers for former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa have started legal action against Formula One bosses and the governing FIA seeking substantial damages resulting from an alleged 'conspiracy' that denied him the 2008 championship.

The Letter Before Claim said the Brazilian, now 42, was robbed of the title through actions at the highest level that cost him tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses.

It said Massa had instructed lawyers in Britain, Brazil, the United States, Switzerland and France.

A Letter Before Claim is a required formal legal notice before court proceedings can be initiated.

There was no immediate response from the FIA and Formula One to a Reuters request for comment. Formula One is currently on an August shutdown.

F1: OBRIGADO FELIPE MASSA | BRAZIL GRAND PRIX

FELIPE MASSA: MASSA WANTS TO KNOW FUTURE BEFORE BRAZIL GRAND PRIX

Felipe Massa wants to know is future before the Brazilian Grand Prix next month, his home race...

F1: HAMILTON TAKES THE BATTLE TO THE LAST RACE AS HE WINS THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Formula One title race is down to the last race as Lewis Hamilton dominates the every eventful Brazilian Grand Prix...The wet Brazilian GP  in Sao Paulo had two stoppages, high-speed crashes and 5 safety cars had to be deployed...

F1: FELIPE MASSA TO RETIRE END OF F1 SEASON

Felipe Massa has announced that he will call it quits after the end of the Formula One season.