We are all aware of Crashgate as well as Spygate – two of the most well-known scandals in motorsport history. However, the industry is full of chaos that people quietly bury.
Let’s dig some of these up, shall we?
The Super Aguri Collapse (2008)
Super Aguri was an underdog team with Honda links, and quite popular amongst fans. However, it all fell apart mid-season due to shady sponsorship deals. Many were disappointed to see them leave, but most were just massively confused.
The team literally packed up and vanished after the Spanish Grand Prix.
BAR’s Hidden Fuel Tank (2005)
British American Racing installed a second hidden fuel tank in their cars. This was so the car would run underweight and ultimately gain speed.
They were obviously discovered, despite their best efforts to conceal it, leading to a 2-race ban. Many said they got off really easily, and that they should have gotten a harsher punishment. Let us know what you think…
Max Mosely’s Tabloid Scandal (2008)
The previous FIA president, Max Mosely, had a scandal of his own. He was caught in a very, very NSFW story that rocked the sport’s image for months. The story involved whips and roleplay, so many people were highly uncomfortable and shocked at the revelation.
Ultimately, he won a privacy case, but the scandal stuck with him until his death in 2021.
MotoGP’s Marquez Debacle (2023)
During the 2023 MotoGP season World Champion Marc Marquez collided with Miguel Oliveira. The crash was at the very start of the season, and it was extremely long and disruptive for everyone.
After the crash between the two, a penalty controversy began. The MotoGP rider was facing traps because of the incident and overall, they went back and forth three times.
After this, the talk of penalties for this incident alone was over.
Motorsports = Politics + Speed
The track is only part of the story.
Off track? It is all egos, lawsuits, money and rumours. Like it or not motorsports also has a social aspect to it, and humans like drama. It is the perfect sports category for us to watch.
But stay tuned – there is ALWAYS more drama.