Will Felipe Massa thrive on the home crowd pressure – or be crushed by it?
Felipe Massa scored a home win at Interlagos in 2006
Next weekend Felipe Massa will experience a unique cocktail of pressures very few Formula 1 drivers ever have to face.
Finding yourself in a championship showdown that’s gone down to the final race is one thing – doing it all at your home Grand Prix is quite another.
Home race heroes
Drivers respond to racing in front of their home crowds in different ways.
To some it seems to make no difference to their performance – Michael Schumacher, for example, was no more crushing at Hockenheim or Nurburgring than anywhere else.
Others seem to suffer under the weight of expectation. Rubens Barrichello, particularly in the immediate post-Senna years, is an example. Facing up to the burden of taking over from the much mourned Ayrton Senna in his countrymen’s affections, with neither the machinery nor the experience to do it in the late ’90s, he struggled.
Still others positively thrive on it. The great example is Nigel Mansell, who seemed to find an extra gear whenever he raced at Silverstone. His victory over team mate Nelson Piquet in 1987 is remembered as as one of the great F1 wins, but the magic was there in 1983, 1988 and 1989 as well, and on his last two appearances at the venue in 1991 and 1992, when he obliterated the opposition with a superior car.
Massa’s unique challenge
Felipe Massa surely belongs in this latter category. Whatever misgivings there have been about his abilities up until this year, the Paulista has always delivered at home.
On his second visit to the track as an F1 drivers in 2004 he put his Sauber fourth on the grid – the best starting position he and team mate Giancarlo Fisichella managed in the car all year.
In 2006 – his first visit to the track as a Ferrari driver – he capitalised on on problems for team mate Michael Schumacher to run away with the race. Last year he was on top again, and a second consecutive home victory would have been his, had he not been required to move aside for Kimi Raikkonen, much as Raikkonen did for Massa at Shanghai.
Massa’s good at home, but how good is he under the peculiar pressures of a championship showdown? That’s a situation we’ve never seen him in during his F1 career, and he pre-F1 experience doesn’t offer many useful pointers either.
Perhaps he’s just one of those people who’s at their very best when under peak stress. Or perhaps there’s a tipping point and the demands of performing at home in a championship-decider – the chance to inherit the mantle of Senna – may prove too much.
It’s one more fascinating dimension to this riveting championship showdown.
How do you think Massa will fare in his crucial home race?
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Juan said on 24th October 2008, 22:08
I really think this year, Hamilton will drive just like Alonso did in 2006, not running to take the pole, but driving to keep the distance long enough to win with no surprises, the pressure keeps behind and I really think now is Massa the one with the pressure on, trying to show to his country he deserves the win… Anyway, I’m one of the hundred who don’t like the attitude of Lewis, but not many likes Michael Schumacher, and all the records he broke, and the champs he got.. so, I expect a great race, a great strategy and a good show…
Snoopy said on 24th October 2008, 23:33
I tink this year Lewis will take WDC. Sad news for Massa because this year maybe is his last chance to do it. Ferrari gave him a chance and if he can not use that he will be beated man and next year Kimi will be back again.
In one hand I hope that Hamilton win ,even i do not like him. I want see how he will be in next year when he have 1 WDC in his pocket. Kubica is right there, Kimi as well ,Alonso also and Heikki is not giving his way to Lewis in next year either.
It will be more difficult in next year so both drivers are in situation Now or Never in Brazil.
But i would not put my mone on Massa honestly.
Yusuf said on 25th October 2008, 1:03
I am told by a friend who works for McL&Mer that the plan for Qualifying is to send Lewis early at all times in the event of 60% and above chances of rain.
Kovi is also going out to cushion LH wether from the back or at the front as the team sees fit.
todd said on 25th October 2008, 7:15
Hamilton will drive for the win if the opportunity is there, but he really only needs 4th or 5th, it’s an easy weekend for him.
Even if massa wins at home, which i think he can, it’s really all about what hamilton does, the race isn’t in massa’s hands, it’s in hamiltons.
would really love to see hamilton and alonso go wheel to wheel with interesting results…
CD said on 25th October 2008, 7:44
Massa will push to the limit for his title hopes. no doubt about that. I think he can handle this pressure and win this final race since he has his home court advantege. But WDC will not be decided by his results alone.
i’d rather see Hamilton taking the crown than to see Massa clinching the WDC and be more conceited than ever next year. Even though I don’t want Hammy’s egocentric personality, I don’t like Massa’s conceitedness more.
if Massa loses WDC, he will blame it to the car, setup, and to the team for not giving him 100% and saying “I should have won the WDC today but the car wasn’t good as i expected”. But if he win, he will just say “I had a perfect drive during the weekend”.
CD – a Ferrari fan who really dislikes Massa.
Senor Paz said on 25th October 2008, 9:46
Regardless of the championship battle, I’d really like to see Felipe win in Interlagos. He knows the track better than any other driver, and it couldn’t be a better place for him to race for the last time this season.
However, it seems clear to me that McLaren should have the edge unless Felipe’s mechanics come up with something pretty special. The rain wouldn’t help Felipe’s car performance either, though it might throw in the lottery factor against Lewis.
I reckon a Ferrari one-two is the unlikeliest of all outcomes given their instability, and even that would do little to help Felipe’s hopes of becoming this year’s champion. I’m excited to see Felipe fighting hard on Sunday, at least to show Ferrari what the season could have been without their mistakes.
GeorgeK said on 25th October 2008, 17:57
Anyone who thinks this is an easy race for Lewis is wrong. The slightest mistake can knock him back to well beyond 5th place. If he doesn’t race to win it’s more likely he’ll have a mental lapse that could drop him in the order.
As for Massa, he has absolutely MORE pressure than Lewis, home town crowd and all. How he handles it remains to be seen and how close he will be to Lewis during the race.
Look at his gaffe in Japan when he needlessly speared Hamilton. If he pulls the same stunt in Brazil, what are the chances he’d get black flagged?
jeb from philippines said on 25th October 2008, 22:01
If it’s lewis it’s lewis but if it’s for massa, lewis should be the most unlucky person. Maybe he will be destined of always being a loser.
Yusuf said on 26th October 2008, 12:29
Times Online already confirmed what my friends at McLaren were telling me last week.
McLaren put Lewis Hamilton before team
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article5014739.ece
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 26th October 2008, 12:55
Yusuf – What the article says is that McLaren are going to focus on getting Hamilton to win the drivers’ title instead of the constructors’ title next weekend. And that makes perfect sense. Even if they score a one-two at Interlagos (which they haven’t managed all year although, oddly, I see they’ve had four one-fives) Ferrari would be champions by finishing three-four.
McLaren in the constructors’ championship are in the same position to Felipe Massa in the drivers’ championship. It’s not enough for them to beat their rivals, they need other people to beat them as well, and they’re not really able to influence that. I think they’re just being pragmatic.
Raj said on 26th October 2008, 13:22
I am a ferrai fan but personally opine that ferrari failed to take the fight in shanghai to maclaren which is different from last year and giving the chance to hamilton to edge closer to world championship. Massa may win the race in brazil and hamilton world championship and ferrari constructors if hamilton keeps his cool and drive a professional race like in shanghai. The only the fear is whether hamilton’s car on second race with same engine and may develope similar mechanical problem as Kovi. I opine Massa must aim win and leave the rest to back of the field and be happy at least with the win in front of the home crowd and even kimi leading the race and if in front of massa, must let massa win the race and have the joy…Cheers…Raj
mclarengirl said on 26th October 2008, 14:25
Im hoping for a lewis win if not at least top 5 so he gets the championship
Pink Peril said on 27th October 2008, 2:44
This one is hard to call. Both are as likely as the other to lose their cool and slip up. And thats without taking all of the other variables such as weather, reliability into account.
I hope Lewis wins it, but ask me monday who I think will win it ;)