Comments on: Could Felipe Massa ‘do a Prost’?

By: DG

DG — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:15:14 +0000

OK, I agree Massa has generally upped his performance this year, but is this because Kimi is off the boil, or is it the cause of Kimi’s problems?
If Ferrari aren’t careful they will have both drivers taking possible points away from each other, allowing the McLarens and BMWs to creep ahead – remember you can win a Championship by being a consistent 2nd every race!
Massa still needs to learn patience and how to plan ahead, even in Monaco he appeared to be rattled by his mistake and losing a place to Kubica – and when ITV interview his race engineer, the comments are always ‘we had to calm him down’. The old Massa is still underneath this new face. Also he does prefer to win from the front and not chose his moment to overtake for the lead, he is too dependant on pit stops and his race engineer to plan for him, I think.
As for Kimi, there does not seem to be any explanation for his lacklustre performances recently, unless the higher management have already told him he isn’t going to be Champion again this year!

By: the limit

the limit — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:30:13 +0000

One point Snowcat that you fail to mention is that Felipe Massa played his part as Number 2 driver perfectly in Brazil last year.
He really did help Raikkonen in that race, as well he should have as he was no longer in the championship fight, but now this is for ‘POINTS’.
Raikkonen is a big boy, and has been at this level since 2001. You get no favours from these boys when the lights go out, and the visors come down. He knows that, and he excepts that.
Thats motor racing!

By: Lady Snowcat

Lady Snowcat — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:56:19 +0000

There is no way he wanted to get too far left…he ended up doing that a bit later with unfortunate effect…

The track on the left was horrid (I actually was on that portion of track later in the day)…and would have given him completely the wrong entry at Ste Devote as well when you need to be on that kerb in the centre… he would have had to let more cars through if he’d gone left I am afraid…

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:46:35 +0000

You said, “he [Massa] blocked Kimi and let Lewis through to second,” which to me sounds rather like you were accusing Massa of delaying Raikkonen.

I’m not “worried” by anything – I’m interested in knowing what actually happened and when you said Raikkonen got off the accelerator I wondered if you’d read something I hadn’t.

If you look at the video I linked to in my last comment it’s clear that Massa and Hamilton both got better starts than Raikkonen, On top of that even if Massa had held up Raikkonen, Raikkonen had plenty of track to use on his left-hand side meaning he wouldn’t have needed to lift.

By: Lady Snowcat

Lady Snowcat — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:29:49 +0000

Oh Keith come on…

I wasn’t ACCUSING Felipe just saying that it’s clear that he moved right into Kimi’s path rather than just stick to his line and block Hamilton…

He obviously saw Kimi as a greater threat…

I may well have done the same thing if it was Kimi who was second on the grid…

In fact Felipe made exactly the same move in Malaysia except he was nearly too slow as Kimi was nearly alongside there but chose to hold off and get by at the first pit stop…

Lewis did it to Heikki at one of the races too…

It’s clear that he moved left and inadvertantly gave Lewis the room… why are you so worried by that?…

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:43:12 +0000

How do you know that? Did Raikkonen say he had to back off to avoid hitting him? Did Ferrari publish the telemetry showing him lifting? Sorry if this sounds very adversarial but you're accusing a driver of chopping his team mate and I'm not prepared to believe that unless I see hard evidence. From looking at this top-down video Massa and Hamilton clearly got away quicker than Raikkonen and Massa's movement off the line had nothing to do with Raikkonen ending up third.

By: Lady Snowcat

Lady Snowcat — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:29:23 +0000

If he hadn’t he’d have collected Felipe…

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Did Raikkonen say he got off the accelerator at the start?

By: Lady Snowcat

Lady Snowcat — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:52:17 +0000

Well Keith we’ll have to agree to disagree…

I saw Massa moving firmly in front of the Kimster giving Lewis free rein whilst not compromising his own get away… on that basis Kimi had to get off the accelerator which lost his momentum…

I have watched the same clips that you did and have reached a different conclusion…

Probably how all things F1 continue to generate discussion ….

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:26:52 +0000

I don't agree with either of those points Snowcat: I explained why here