Ecclestone: Massa doing 'right thing' with crashgate lawsuit

Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes Felipe Massa is doing the "right thing" after a lawsuit was filed against a number of parties over the 'crashgate' scandal.

Ecclestone, the FIA and Formula One Management [FOM] are being sued for not taking adequate action despite knowledge of Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashing during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

The then-Renault driver's crash triggered a safety car that allowed teammate Fernando Alonso to prosper, the Spaniard eventually taking victory. But Massa was less fortunate and a pit stop error when the race was neutralised took him out of contention for points.

"More help for him"

The incident was a pivotal moment in the race for Drivers' title, which Massa would eventually lose in dramatic fashion to Lewis Hamilton in Brazil.

Last year, Ecclestone triggered a return to the topic when suggesting in an interview that he and then-FIA president Max Mosley were aware of the tactics used by Renault in 2008, yet opted against publicising the events in order to save the sport's face.

Following the news that Massa has elevated his legal action to a lawsuit, 93-year-old Ecclestone told the PA news agency: "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.

“I cannot say anything about the outcome and what will happen.

"I have not got a clue, I don’t think anyone has, but 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.”