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?

 

[AlexM]

Massa definitely seems to be an afterthought at Ferrari, he'd do a lot better with a little more support.

 

[Sarinaide]

Just taking the Brittish GP into consideration, the "defensive driver" by and large leaves him vulnerable to more preditory drivers, when Massa is passed it kind of reaches a stage where he is saying to himself, "okay I will settle on 4th, loses that place "okay I will settle on 5th". It is that seeming approach that has not given Ferrari any reason to make him the "go to man" then when common sense sets in, is anyone really going to make Filipe Massa the Number 1 when he cannot out race his team mate? prejudice aside no reasonable man will do that.

Perhaps on a good note since Montreal I have seen vast improvement in his performances which is really encouraging to see.

 

[Slyboogy]

I am very annoyed by Ferrari, always give Massa the worst strategy out of the two, if Alonso says don't bring me in just yet, then bring Massa in!!! Just like what Red Bull did with Webber...

I honestly feel so sorry for this guy, he can't leave, who else would want him? If he stays his situation will just get worse....Ferrari should really be fair with the two drivers, like 07-09. This is getting ridiculous.

 

[Jen]

I am very annoyed by Ferrari, always give Massa the worst strategy out of the two, if Alonso says don't bring me in just yet, then bring Massa in!!! Just like what Red Bull did with Webber...

I honestly feel so sorry for this guy, he can't leave, who else would want him? If he stays his situation will just get worse....Ferrari should really be fair with the two drivers, like 07-09. This is getting ridiculous.

Of course he can leave - it's not as if he will be destitute and has enough money to never have to work again.

 

[Slyboogy]

Of course he can leave - it's not as if he will be destitute and has enough money to never have to work again.

I may have put that a bit harshly, but these blunders are definitely not helping his cause and will devalue his stock.

All the top teams seats are sewn up, the only place he can win races is at Ferrari, and last time he was in a position to do so, we saw what happened.

 

[MCLS]

I'm not particularly religious but there may be people who are on this site, so can we please not have people claiming to be the second coming or anything like that, no matter if it was meant in jest or not, people can be offended by it.

Sean

 

[FB]

I could see Felipe moving somewhere like Renault but I don't think it would suit his character. Anyway, think he will stay at Ferrari next season.

One observation, since Schumie stepped down as "Global Ambassador", or whatever he was, Felipe has gone backwards. I think he's a driver that needs a mentor, constant reassurance and someone to set the car up for him.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

One observation, since Schumie stepped down as "Global Ambassador", or whatever he was, Felipe has gone backwards. I think he's a driver that needs a mentor, constant reassurance and someone to set the car up for him.

Schumacher hated Raikkonen because the Finn's managers (the Robertsons) helped di Montezemolo push the old German off to the Stud Farm.

 

[Slyboogy]

He hated him that much that he supposedly was the man who put Raikkonen on full wet tyres in Malaysia 09

I do think Massa needs someone on his side though, there seems to be no one bar Rob Smedly in Massa's side.

Guess Sanatander pays the bills...

 

[FB]

I believe Marlboro have picked up Ferrari's drivers salaries for quite a while.

 

[Slyboogy]

I miss the barcode

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Only Santander pay half of Alonso's wages. I don't think they have that much of a say at Ferrari Sly!

I just think that your right Massa could do with a few more friends at Ferrari than he already has. Smedley is from my neck of the woods and seems a decent lad, think he'll follow Felipe where ever he ends up next .

 

[Slyboogy]

Only Santander pay half of Alonso's wages. I don't think they have that much of a say at Ferrari Sly!

They do! They have paid everyone off so they can all concentrate on Fernando! Did you not hear Brundle in commentray? "Is everything fine for Fernando? Bring the other bloke in" - just messing

Smedley is from my neck of the woods and seems a decent lad, think he'll follow Felipe where ever he ends up next .

Oh really?? Can you say "Slyboogy is faster than you" to my team-mate?

 

[RasputinLives]

I like Massa as a driver but am a bit put off weighing into this thread as can just see me being dragged into the Kimi/Fernando debate and its a bit dull so I'll comment whilst skirting round that bit

Fellipe Baby, on his day, can be the best driver in the world but unfourtunatly this doesn't happen as often as it should. Last time we saw it was Germany last year. He's got a very South American temper and his driving goes with his mood. I think he's very unlucky to be in the era he's on as there are obviously drivers better than him but there hasn't been a race this season where he hasn't at somepoint been dicing with the so called 'big five' and anyone suggesting he's off form this season need to take another look at his performances.

On Sunday at the Silverstone he finished the race only 13 seconds behind the 2 Red Bulls and for the last 2 laps he was dicing with Lewis. Now if you take into account being hung out to dry tyre wise twice by his team (I could understand the first one but surely on the third stop they could have brought him in before Fernando as Alonso pitted later) I reckon that probably cost him that much if you add the time spent in traffic on there too.

As for whoever it was on here who said he settles when he's been overtaken I just can't agree with you on that one - Fellipe is just smart enough to know that trying to hold a faster car behind you early on in the race is just going to cost you time and make you burn your tyres out - better to let them go and reel them in again later

 

[MCLS]

The issue with Massa is he had a horrible time from November 2008-August 2009 starting with the Brazilian near miss and ending with the Hungarian crash, and that has taken a serious toll on him no doubt about it.

 

[Sarinaide]

I don't understand the debate going on that Filipe drives a different car to Alonso,....set up wise probably as it is driver preference,....neither driver shares the same mechanics or strategist so it takes away the notion of sabotage. People need to understand that he is pure and simply getting out driven, feel sorry sure there are times where he seems to be a bit done out by the team, then again he isn't exactly (on performance) the team number 1, that is all his doing.

In one of the FP sessions they were talking of testing and one driver will test aero, and the other mechanical parts and this is visa versa throughout the season. All workable parts are added to both cars, so this whole Webber and Massa have slower and unresponsive cars is just crud.

After seeing the post race it seems as though Massa in the last while has sort of accepted being the wingman and didn't particularly show any anger at that fact, then when you look at the results he has gotten points when Fernando hasn't albeit not wins or podiums, maybe that will all change in due coarse.

 

[AlexM]

I don't understand the debate going on that Filipe drives a different car to Alonso,....
.............
so this whole Webber and Massa have slower and unresponsive cars is just crud.

I've read the thread again, but I can't see where anyone even suggested that?

The feeling is Massa needs support to bring the best out of him, and Ferrari as a whole are not giving him that support (this being outside the cockpit as well as in it).

 

[Sarinaide]

I've read the thread again, but I can't see where anyone even suggested that?

The feeling is Massa needs support to bring the best out of him, and Ferrari as a whole are not giving him that support (this being outside the cockpit as well as in it).

I was merely remarking to external debates that suggest that Massa and Alonso don't race the same car, which in my position I stated I am not inclined to believe.

I do agree though that he must be given better support, and I do suggest in the Silverstone race he should have been given the all clear to pit, knowing that Alonso was going to do extra laps.

 

[RasputinLives]

I do agree though that he must be given better support, and I do suggest in the Silverstone race he should have been given the all clear to pit, knowing that Alonso was going to do extra laps.

I didn''t understand that one either - the first one I got because they couldn't pit at the same time so he had to stay out a lap longer but as you say there was no reason he couldn't have come in before Fernando who stayed out longer on the 3rd one the same way they did it on the second one. Very odd. I reckon he'd have been on the podium if they'd done that ya know - at the very least he'd have been up behind Webber who was up behind Seb - been interesting to see if Red Bull had given team orders out then!

 

[Sarinaide]

I didn''t understand that one either - the first one I got because they couldn't pit at the same time so he had to stay out a lap longer but as you say there was no reason he couldn't have come in before Fernando who stayed out longer on the 3rd one the same way they did it on the second one. Very odd. I reckon he'd have been on the podium if they'd done that ya know - at the very least he'd have been up behind Webber who was up behind Seb - been interesting to see if Red Bull had given team orders out then!

It is something Ferrari need to re-evaluate, I think Massa from Montrael has shown real up turn and despite being the driver he is, has had moments where with better team communication and strategy could easily have had Massa 2 or so positions higher up crossing the line. Maybe Ferrari need to start addressing this, if Alonso can keep going, bring Massa in, best case it covers Alonso's stop (if the cars are close on the track) worst case, Filipe ends up ahead of Alonso but Ferrari have better track position than say 2nd and 6th or that kind of disparity in placings.

[edit]

I have also found it strange that Ferrari and Massa haven't tried a different policy but going out on Q3 with hard tyres and start a long 1st stint hard tyre race strategy, I have seen Sergio Perez try that and it has been largely successful, it may also be something problematic to other teams. Granted he may only qualify between positions 6-10 but could easily jump places, then become a blocker and can find out just what Hard tyres can do at the start in hotter conditions.