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?

 

[Speshal]

Proved once and for all that he'll happily take it in the ass for his multimillion dollar paycheck.

 

[Kewee]

Speshal.......Massa did what was very rightfully expected of him considering the state of the championship. Ferrari's position in the constructors championship would be also be much stronger had he found form much earlier in the season. I'm a fan of Massa but he only has himself to blame, being expected to play backup to Alonso. F1 is a playground with too much at stake to allow sentimentality to cloud intelligent thinking. If Massa wants to be treated as Alonso's equal he needs to start next season delivering equal results. You should remember he was treated as No.1 when he was driving alongside Raikkonen despite the fact that Kimi was the world champion. When Massa was giving Ferrari results Raikkonen was expected to play backup to him.

 

[The Artist.....]

Kewee - I agree completely with you - Massa has only really come on song in the last few races this season - if he wants a fair crack of the whip, he needs to be on it from the beginning of next season! Otherwise, he will have to bend over and let Alonso past!

 

[teabagyokel]

You don't have room for complaint vis-á-vis team orders if you're 150 points behind in the Championship, in my view!

 

[FB]

if he wants a fair crack of the whip, he needs to be on it from the beginning of next season

I don't believe Ferrari would allow Massa to finish in front of Alonso even at the first race of the season. I understand, although I don't like, what they did on Sunday but let's face facts, Ferrari have history on this and Alonso's position within the team is now as strong as Schumacher's was so no driver with career ambitions is going to sit in the second Ferrari for some time.

 

[The Pits]

I wonder how strong Alonso's position will be if he does not win the WDC? DiMontezemelo had a few words on that relating to Alonso having a veto on his team mate.

 

[The Artist.....]

FB - As much as I don't like your view, I think you're probably absolutely correct - I suppose the only way we might see Massa ahead would be if he had a massive qualifying advantage at Melbourne....

 

[Fenderman]

There has been a real change in Felipe this season. After a physical battering from the Brawn's wayward suspension part in 2009 and a psychological battering in Germany on the anniversary of that horrible accident his confidence had been all but destroyed. 2011 saw him fight back with aggression and obstinacy - mostly to the detriment of himself and Hamilton. His approach has changed this season. He has been more aware of what is happening around him with fewer crash-magnet adventures and his pace has improved.

Some months ago, I (amongst many others) had written him off as pretty well finished in F1. Time is not on his side with regard to getting into the same league as the top four but he could still become the best of the rest. It has to be said that we are seeing a new Massa. This weekend he took a hit for the team and, when quizzed by the media, presented a very professional and honest demeanour. He didn't hide his obvious disappointment and got his message across in clear, unequivocal terms.

His excellent drive, having been relegated to 11th on the grid, to a well deserved 4th place finish was a testament to the sea change that has occured this year. Only time will tell if this is a temporary blip or a real sign that he has at last recovered from the physical and psychological battering of the previous seasons. For his sake I hope that the latter is the case and that it is not too little, too late.

Welcome back Felipe. Now if you can just keep it up ...

 

[Bill Boddy]

Melbourne 2010, second race of the season.

Massa 3rd.
Alonso 4th.

Sorry, FB et al.

 

[Kewee]

I wonder how strong Alonso's position will be if he does not win the WDC? DiMontezemelo had a few words on that relating to Alonso having a veto on his team mate.

Stronger than ever I would think. Alonso's carried Ferrari all season. Montezemolo will be fully aware that without him they wouldn't have been anywhere near the top of the championship standings let alone still having a chance, though small, going into Brazil.

 

[Olivier]

...

Welcome back Felipe. Now if you can just keep it up ...

my feelings exactly

 

[Il_leone]

I wonder how strong Alonso's position will be if he does not win the WDC? DiMontezemelo had a few words on that relating to Alonso having a veto on his team mate.

Luca rates Alonso higher than Kimi for a start in that he has the same work ethic as Schumacher which he was expecting Kimi to be and was not in 2009

Luca will soon think Vettel is better if Alonso does not deliver but two title deciders in 3 seasons its a bit difficult to better

 

[Il_leone]

its well within the rules what Ferrari did off course if it was the other way round Alonso would not budge an inch

I am sure Red Bull would have made noises had it shifted their drivers on the dirty side

Well Massa knew what he was getting himself into when he put his name to another year with Alonso

Massa taking points off Alonso will cause trouble and sure it did in 2010 - Malaysia and Melbourne... key points lost cost Fernando the title

 

[downforce]

I am sure If Massa was delivering the same kind of performance as Alonso race in race out he would have equal status.

What I am less sure about is that Massa can deliver the same kind of performances as Alonso race in race out.

We shall see at the weekend.

 

[mnmracer]

Thinking about the blonde wet set-up Alonso has in his garage, does anyone know how Felipe has been doing with the ladies the past couple years?
I remember in the Schumi-Kimi years somewhere, he said that he used to do the love making before the race, which helped him. Has he gotten a new girl friend as of late?

 

[Slyboogy]

The dudes married with a kid!

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Massa still looks like a man in his early 20's not a man in his early 30's , very much a baby face .

 

[Slyboogy]

Speaks like a little wee baby too.

"Ees diffico fo us, fo sho we ween wace but we have to be in good positio'!"

 

[mnmracer]

My bad.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

I think Massa will be in F1 a few more years yet. I think he's finally getting his mojo back and he's looking somewhere/thing like the Massa I rated so highly a few seasons ago . That injury he got did have Psychologically have an effect on him and it's only now we're seeing the real Massa emerging again .