Felipe Massa

Brilliant driver on his day but is he championship material?

In 2008 he proved he was but thats only one occassion, plus that season the Ferrari TBH was a bit quicker and won more races that season. In 2009 he nearly suffered a career ending head-injury and since coming to back to the grid he hasn't really shown that promise he did in 2008.

Don't get me wrong he's a driver i very much like, but i do wonder if he'll be a title challenger again for Ferrari season in season out or if he'll stay at Ferrari much longer?

Whats your thoughts on Massa?

 

[Jen]

Can anyone tell me why Massa has taken all this time to prove that he can still drive?

 

[Kewee]

Because he needs a good car to give his best. That simple. He never has been able to drive around a difficult car.

 

[FB]

Contract renewal time?

 

[Kewee]

Absolutely.

 

[Jen]

As a cynic, I think FB is closer. But it's all too late.

 

[F1 Shift.net]

Sounds like Massa will be announced at Ferrari for 2013 under a 1 year contract. Think it was more a lack of other options for Ferrari or has his recent performances been enough? I'm leaning towards lack of options, but that's just me...

 

[RasputinLives]

I kind of thought that was going to be the case which has to indicate Vettel going there in 2014 otherwise they would have gone for Perez, Di Resta, Hulk, Kovi, Kobi or pretty much any of the midfield runners who would do a better job. But no one wants to sign a 1 year contract and Ferrari don't want to risk ending up with too many drivers again like they did for the 2010 season.

 

[Olivier]

This was the highlight of the race (for me). A very interesting way of overtaking, it looked a little bit like go-karts, but it was completely clean. Massa is trying to catch up with what it was expecting from him all year long. Probably a little too late.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

That was not clean. He set the move up by going off-circuit at the previous corner. No wonder Senna didn't know he was there. It is the incident at the previous corner that the stewards should have looked at.

 

[Bill Boddy]

If you mean the corner at 28/29 seconds it looks to me as though Massa had his wheels on the white line. I'm not sure whether that constitutes being within the circuit or not. I would think that it does but cannot be certain.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

If it does, it shouldn't. I looked at it frame by frame and it's definitely, at least, stretching the limits of the track beyond it's intention.

 

[Brogan]

Webber was penalised because he had all four wheels outside the white line.
Massa keeps two on it, barely.

Seems silly having track limits and then caveats about when they can be breached and by how much.

 

[teabagyokel]

He's essentially cutting that corner - he's on top of the kerbing!

 

[MCLS]

0:17 he's right on the line, it's marginal

 

[Il_leone]

Massa I think will stay at Ferrari for one more year... as someone pointed out picking a young gun is something Ferrari are not really known to do

I don't think Perez will get the drive given Alonso's experience at MClaren with Hamilton and the fact that Perez was part of the academy and will bring heavy sponsorship backing which may dwindle the political influence that ALonso has

 

[KekeTheKing]

If Massa has indeed signed on for another campaign, then he should be set up for a good finish to the year. I mean, the guy has absolutely no pressure on him whatsoever. He's gone 35 consecutive GP in a Ferrari without achieving a podium finish and has been able to retain his seat! As far as Maranello is concerned, his results seem largely irrelevant.

 

[Viscount]

Santander keep him in the Ferrari seat due to their huge expansion in Brazil. Without their sponsorship money to Ferrari and Alonso and their own desire for a Brazilian driver for PR, Massa would be long gone.

 

[Brogan]

Massa is due to be confirmed at Ferrari for another year.
An announcement will be made "soon".

 

[FB]

Realistically, after today's pit message to Felipe, which other driver would want to go there?

 

[Brogan]

What was the pit message?
I fast forwarded through most of the "race".