Bernie Ecclestone responds after former F1 star Felipe Massa sues him for £64million

Bernie Ecclestone, Formula 1 and the FIA are being sued by former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa for a minimum of $82million (£64.1m) in damages.

The lawsuit was filed in the UK’s High Court on Monday as Massa steps up efforts to reclaim the 2008 world championship title which he lost to Sir Lewis Hamilton by just one point.

Last year, the Brazilian announced he would be taking legal action after former F1 supremo Ecclestone stated that Massa was the rightful winner of the 2008 title.

The controversy surrounds that year’s Singapore Grand Prix, where Renault ordered Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash on purpose which in turn brought out the safety car, which strategically helped teammate Fernando Alonso claim victory.