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?

 

[Fenderman]

Indeed. Could be a big problem for Rootersport's reports.

 

[siffert_fan]

After reading the lineup, I wonder how the term "stars" can be truthfully applied

 

[Mephistopheles]

Massa came 8th overall in his own Karting event....

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/289266/bianchi-triumphs-in-massa-karting-event/

ehhhh Felipe 7 people are faster than you.....

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Ha ha. I came 3rd in my own poker event. 2 people are more shifty than me.

[EDIT] And, wow! I had forgotten entirely that Lucas Di Grassi existed.

 

[teabagyokel]

Mephistopheles - He did beat Fernando Alonso though, so that's good for him.

 

[Olivier]

After reading the lineup, I wonder how the term "stars" can be truthfully applied

Brazilian stars?

 

[Greenlantern101]

Candid interview from Massa. Interesting.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/8405329/

 

[FB]

Maybe Feilpe needs to have a chat with Lance Armstrong?

 

[Olivier]

Maybe Feilpe needs to have a chat with Lance Armstrong?

It's not about the car ...

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Aw seen that interview on the website before.

Massa I think will be stronger this year. He's starting to find form again and I think that this is a make or break season in regards to 2014 .

 

[Fenderman]

Indeed. I think he has turned a corner (excuse the pun) but I do have the feeling that his career will be somewhat like that of Rubens' mid-career years, but one never knows he may spring a surprise or two.

 

[teabagyokel]

How many "last years at Ferrari' has Massa had now?

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Probably 3 teabagyokel 09, 12 and now 13 .

 

[teabagyokel]

HammydiRestarules - And 06.

 

[Fenderman]

"How many "last years at Ferrari' has Massa had now?"

If I were a cruel man I would say "10"
If I were an unsympathetic man I would say "4"
If I were a reflective man taking into account his accomplishments, failures and adversities I would say "none"

In my humble opinion it was the 2009 crash and crash magnet year of 2011 that, for me, nearly wrote his career off. Unless Ferrari a) build him a championship winning car and b) Alonso has a mishap that writes off his championship challenge, it is unlikely in my personal view that Felipe will ever win a championship. However, he proved last season that he is still a useful driver and certainly a handy rear gunner.

Good luck to him.

 

[teabagyokel]

Fenderman - I absolutely mean that question as a compliment to Felipe Massa. He has survived for 7 years at the biggest F1 team proving everyone wrong about his impending departure. He came in to Ferrari in 2006 as a one year stop-gap because of his association with Nicholas Todt and is now the only driver from 2006 still in situ at the same team.

And he's done that because he spent 3 years from mid-2006 exceeding expectations and making himself well liked before he was nearly killed in Budapest, and he's shown enough form in 2012 to get another extention.

 

[Fenderman]

I couldn't agree more teabagyokel

I simply took your question as an opportunity to nail my colours to the mast.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

IMO. He's only survived this long because he isn't first rate. Ferrari needed a 2nd rate driver and that's exactly what they got, infact he was 3rd and 4th rate sometimes which is why he was nearly ousted...

 

[teabagyokel]

He was not a second driver in 2008.

And I doubt many of the drivers could do much better than 2 out of 7 against Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen as team-mates.

 

[Brogan]

I'm afraid I agree with no-FIAt-please.

A definite second driver, which is exactly what Ferrari look for in their second seat.

2008 will always be an anomalous year in my opinion, probably because Kimi couldn't be bothered. Or something.