The Rise of Felipe Massa

Funny how times change and predictions can be so wrong! I was at the USGP in 2004 when, at a charity auction, two autographed driving suits were auctioned for charity. One was Button's and one was Massa's. Matt Bishop referred to Button's as belonging to the next WDC and Massa's as belonging to someone who would be driving a cab next year (2005)...

...Right on again, Bish!!!

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Originally Posted by jens

Remember, Michael on his last attempt managed 9th fastest time, so he was really close to falling out. Before this attempt Felipe and Michael were somewhere 12th-14th, if I remember correctly. If Felipe had also driven in the last minute and he and also someone else had made a faster time, then it would have been over for MS.

It was a risky situation and before the last minute in those conditions it was clear that at best one Ferrari can manage into Top10 and even that seemed unlikely. So better give the opportunity to get into Top10 to the driver, who was fighting for the WDC title. I remember Felipe watching Michael's last attempt in the garage.

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I doubt that any team would sacrifice the chance to get both drivers into the top 10 just for the possibility to get ONLY 1 of them in there. Remember that they can't know in advance that MS will be 9th after his attempt.

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Originally Posted by Hawkmoon

In a quiet moment the other day I got to thinking about the sudden turn around in young Massa's career. He's gone from that Brazillian guy who wrecks Saubers to Ferrari's potential next world champion in the space of 12 months...So tell me. What makes people think that Massa has what it takes to beat a defending double world champion and arguably the fastest guy on the grid?

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Amazing what stepping into a winning car can do for a reputation eh ;)

Seriously though, Massa has improved since the days when he seemed to have trouble keeping the steering wheel pointing straight ahead! Then again, having been around since 2002 he should have done, and he can hardly fail to have learned from his time with team-MS at Ferrari. But racing as pupil/support to MS will be very different to competing with Kimi, and if he has retained any of the weaknesses we've seen from him in the past, they are likely to be exposed.

While Massa's improvement has impressed me, he remains more Takuma Sato-like than the successor to MS's crown. The only difference being that Taku has an Aguri to show off what talent he has.

I think Massa is a solid driver. If he makes the same improvements this year, at the same rate this year then he could very well beat Kimi. Though then again, I think Massa is a driver who is quite sensitive, and I think he could also crack and completely falter. I don't know is the answer.

Though last year, especially after some rookie kind mistakes, he did an outstanding job of supporting Michael, and was more or less equal to Michael except in the rain. I'm not sure if this shows how good Massa is, or if it shows Michael wasn't the driver he once was. Saying that, the Ferrari by the end of the season was so dominate I think the majority of the drivers on the field could have won a race. I doubt the Schumacher of the 90's and early 00's would have lost out on that title last year to a 25yr old with an inferior car for the majority of the season.

Massa has improved and he's a good driver, but I can't see him challenging Kimi at all. He remains a "B List" driver in my view, which still holds a lot of talent and ability.

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Originally Posted by raphael123

Though last year, especially after some rookie kind mistakes, he did an outstanding job of supporting Michael, and was more or less equal to Michael except in the rain. I'm not sure if this shows how good Massa is, or if it shows Michael wasn't the driver he once was. Saying that, the Ferrari by the end of the season was so dominate I think the majority of the drivers on the field could have won a race.

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This might apply to everyone who drive Ferrari will make you get impressed as if they drive more than their ability. As a winning team they have a solid management in every aspect determining the final result of the race.

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Originally Posted by raphael123

I doubt the Schumacher of the 90's and early 00's would have lost out on that title last year to a 25yr old with an inferior car for the majority of the season.

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This is because the 25 y/o is not an inferion driver

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Originally Posted by raphael123

I doubt the Schumacher of the 90's and early 00's would have lost out on that title last year to a 25yr old with an inferior car for the majority of the season.

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I'm not so sure the Renault was really inferior to the Ferrari. {Fisi's was, but not Alonso's :) }

Massa will have his fair share of offs this year from pushing the car to it's edge. That's why I like the guy. Hope he does well

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Originally Posted by wmcot

I'm not so sure the Renault was really inferior to the Ferrari. {Fisi's was, but not Alonso's :) }

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I think it was. If you take away Massa's driver errors he would have been miles infront of Fisi. Fisi made mistakes, but not to the same degree.

I think Michael would have won the title in 2006 if he was as good as he once was, because his car was the class of the field overall, though Renault had an edge at the start.

Oh now this is nice - real freaking cool Toad.

Massa - come over here and look in your lunch box - see my steamer for you.

Ferrari chief Jean Todt says the Italian team never considered world champion Fernando Alonso to replace Michael Schumacher.

The German seven-time champion retired at the end of last season, and he has been replaced by Finn Kimi Raikkonen at the Maranello squad.

Todt claims he chose Raikkonen over Alonso because he felt the Finn would fit better at Ferrari, although the Frenchman says both men are at the same level.

The team boss also admitted Ferrari came close to signing Alonso as a test driver a few years ago.

"I believe that Michael, Kimi and Alonso were the three best drivers during last season," Todt told Auto, Motor und Sport magazine in an interview.

"In the case of Raikkonen and Alonso I had to decide for one of them. Ferrari never spoke with Alonso. I chose Kimi. Both are on the same level, but Kimi fits better with Ferrari and with me.

"We spoke with Alonso's manager a few years ago and we were close to signing a test driver deal, but it didn't happen. But that is in the past."