Overview
- The Supreme Court granted permission for a direct 'leapfrog' appeal on June 10–11, pausing progress toward a full High Court trial while the justices decide whether the unlawful means conspiracy claim survives.
- The litigation stems from the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix when Nelson Piquet Jr later admitted in a 2009 sworn statement that his crash had been deliberate and that the result affected Felipe Massa’s race and title hopes.
- In October 2025 Mr Justice Jay threw out several of Massa’s claims but ruled that the tort of unlawful means conspiracy could proceed to trial, a decision the defendants sought to overturn as a matter of law.
- Massa is pursuing up to £64 million in damages and has said he wants public recognition that the 2008 outcome was tainted, while a March 2026 High Court order required the defendants to pay him £250,000 in legal costs for recent applications.
- The appeal raises broader legal questions about whether alleged breaches of duties by sporting bodies can be relied on by third parties and whether French-law tort elements can make those breaches actionable in UK courts.