Speaking in a video released by Ferrari, Felipe Massa said his three consecutive races out of the points put him out of contention for the championship:
We had some up-and-down races during the championship. I had a very bad three races where I couldn’t score points which was Canada, Valencia and Silverstone.
We could have scored a good amount of points in these races and I could have been in a good position fighting for the championship now. It was not very great for the championship.
But it is also true that in the last four races we have scored more points than the other teams. So looking forward we still have five races to go and I hope we carry on like we did in the last four races.
Definitely I was not very happy with these ‘down’ races I had. But the past you can never change. You have to work for the present and the future and that’s what I want.
Felipe Massa
Massa was set to win the first race after his three no-scores before being told to hand the victory to team mate Fernando Alonso.
He didn’t race at Singapore last year due to injury. He was on course for victory at the track in 2008 before the controversial safety car period caused by Nelson Piquet Jnr’s deliberate crash.
Piquet’s crash allowed Alonso to win. Meanwhile Massa’s race was ruined during the ensuing safety car period when he was sent out of the pits with his refuelling rig still attached:
It’s a difficult circuit, Singapore. One lap in Singapore means two laps in Monaco. It’s a difficult place, it’s hot, it’s in the night and it’s a little bit of a different track to where we normally go.
But anyway, I enjoy the track. I was very, very strong in 2008. I did one of my quickest pole positions, six tenths ahead of second place, which was Kimi [Raikkonen]. And I had the race pretty much in my pocket.
Until, you know, many things happened. The safety car, the pit stop and even afterward some polemics. So it was a place that I enjoyed but, in a way, I didn’t have a great result. I didn’t have the result I was supposed to have.
Felipe Massa
Massa will use a new chassis, number 286, at Singapore.
Read more: Piquet Jnr: Massa blames me for lost championship
OEL
21st September 2010, 19:43
He would’ve scored about 26 points in the 3 races, probably enough to be allowed to win in Hockenheim.
OEL
21st September 2010, 19:45
That would’ve ment he would’ve been about 5 points behind Alonso before Germany, and 2 ahead after! But then I haven’t taken Alonso’s lost points in Valencia.
Todfod (@todfod)
21st September 2010, 22:02
Thats way too many ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. If Fernando wasn’t tagged by Button in Australia, or made a mistake in Monaco in FP3, jumped a start in China, unlucky with the safety car in Valencia or tagged by Barichello in Belgium.. he would have won the WDC by now.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st September 2010, 22:29
You can’t blame Button for that. He was well alongside Alonso.
rayan
22nd September 2010, 4:23
keith it always happens…bcoz alonso^s fans will not accept that alonso made a mistake..
Diego
21st September 2010, 22:56
In Valencia it was not bad luck with the SC, it was murder
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st September 2010, 23:21
Just a smidge of hyperbole there, I feel.
rayan
22nd September 2010, 4:25
dear diego,
so what you say about massa…..who also caught up behind alonso in SC and in pits……
GeeMac (@geemac)
21st September 2010, 20:55
Does anyone else think that the “ghost of Singapore 2008” is something that Massa is allowing to haunt him?
Whenever he gets a chance, he brings it up. I really do feel that he has got a bit of a complex about it, and that he thinks that 2008 may have been his only chance of winning the WDC. Of course that is a load of nonesense because he has proved his pace against highly rated team mates and is now firmly entrenched in F1’s elite.
I just hope he realises that, if he keeps on driving as well as he can, he will get another chance…for his own sake.
P.S I never thought I’d hear myself saying that!!! ;)
David-A (@david-a)
21st September 2010, 21:18
You’re right. Funny thing is, he started this season off fine but never really picked up his pace since China.
Steph (@)
21st September 2010, 22:02
“Whenever he gets a chance, he brings it up”
Yes it’ll haunt him for the rest of his life but is he just ranting about it or does he frequently get asked about it?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st September 2010, 22:02
Perhaps, but here’s a question: if you were Massa, would you give Alonso the benefit of the doubt and accept he had nothing to do with it?
Diego
21st September 2010, 23:18
Felipe Massa’s race (and championship) was ruined by the disastrous pit stop of the attached fuel hose fame. He went in first and came out last, and nobody has blamed Fernando for that. Yet.
Steph (@)
21st September 2010, 22:05
In F1 Racing this month there’s an interview with Sid Watkins and he said (about Massa’s accident) Massa came back very quickly and that it usually takes someone two years to be fully themselves again. I’m not trying to make a point about his pace or anything but that I’m continually in awe of athletes and how quickly they tend to recover.
Oh he also said he once told Massa he believed he would be future champ. It has nothing to do with the point I was making but I just wanted to include it :P
Patrickl
21st September 2010, 23:51
So with that last line you’re saying he’s just babbling? ;)
I remember Hakkinen’s accident at the last race. He was right back at it the next season.
picky2010
22nd September 2010, 0:42
sanntander are the reason he will never bag a chamionship with scuderia jump ship felipe
Ed
22nd September 2010, 8:07
According to Wikipedia, “Banco Santander Brasil is a subsidiary of Banco Santander in Brazil, its largest division in Latin America and one of the world’s most important, accounting for 20% of the total profit of the group.”
So I don’t think Santander would be too upset with a Brazilian doing well.
picky2010
23rd September 2010, 1:43
he will be in a sauber soon kubika in renault n kimi in robs seat only time will tell,
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
22nd September 2010, 2:14
Do anyone think that if Massa & ALonso continues their partnership until 2012 ( as per their contract ) will Massa will ever become a WC? I don’t think so.
That incident alone with the on in Hungary in 2008 have cost the WC for him, so it’s pointless to talk about the past now he needs to concentrate that how can he bring the maximum from this weekend.
Mike
22nd September 2010, 14:37
People, most likely including whoever reads this whom would now deny it, had written Button off….. That being said I think Massa will stay on, But I don’t think he’ll get another real chance.
rayan
22nd September 2010, 4:42
i feel yes he is a capable driver to win a WC sooner…its not alonso that matters,bcoz i feel kimi a better driver than alonso…
massa is consistent in scoring points,drives without much of mistakes in race,although i accept he is not aggressive where he has to be in terms of overtaking he lacks something….
overall he has his own class of drive which will give him a WC sooner when alonso is there
Ed
22nd September 2010, 8:19
I think the Pirelli tyres will be very important to Massa’s future, this year’s tyres haven’t been good to him for whatever reason.
I would love to see him get a consolation win this year, particularly in Brazil, just to boost his confidence heading into next year.
Jeng Wei
22nd September 2010, 9:26
“I did one of my quickest pole positions, six tenths ahead of second place, which was Kimi [Räikkönen]. And I had the race pretty much in my pocket”
I thought lewis hamilton qualified 2nd in singapore 2008?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
22nd September 2010, 9:30
You’re right, it was Hamilton. Just looked it up and Massa was 0.664s faster than him and 0.816s faster than Räikkönen.
BliNnk
22nd September 2010, 11:10
If the other drivers had not had problems Massa would’ve been nowhere close anyway. He can’t keep talking about the past.
Anyway hope the kubica-massa swap will take place..
picky2010
23rd September 2010, 1:52
you can tell by body laguage and smedleys tone of voice that massa is in contract to play second fiddle,dont want to lose your seat wit the bigest cheats in the sport/show,am i right in saying that any new rule change prior 08 had to be run by and agreed with luca de mazemalo??sorry for the spelling