Felipe Massa is sure he will deliver better results for Ferrari over the rest of 2013 after a shaky first half of the season.
Massa believes he is on the pace but has had some misfortunes in races so far this year.
“I think what is important to say is that this year the performance was good for every race,” he said during the press conference for the Italian Grand Prix. “We couldn’t put together the result at the end of the race, I was not very lucky, so many things happen during the races.”
“I had a problem with the tyres, I spun in the Nurburgring, problem with the suspension in Monaco. For sure it happens so many things that I couldn’t finish where I was supposed to.
“But the performance was there, so I think that’s important. Just need to put everything together and finish the race where I’m supposed to and I’m sure the performance will be there and the results will be there as well.”
Massa had a one-year extension on his Ferrari contract late last season and the team are yet to announce whether it will be renewed. He believes his experience and the team’s desire for continuity next year amid a major change in the technical rules increase his chances of getting a ninth season at the Maranello team:
“Ferrari knows me very well,” he said. “It’s the team who knows me more.”
“About the experience, we know how important is next year as well, everything starts from zero with a different car, different rules, everything, so we know how important is the experience from the driver as well.”
2013 Italian Grand Prix
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- 2013 Italian Grand Prix team radio transcript
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Image © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo
Osvaldas31 (@osvaldas31)
5th September 2013, 17:27
That’s the main thing that Massa should not be retained – he always can’t put everything together. He still has reasonable pace, but he always searches for excuses. It’s down to the driver to put everything together if the car is good.
John H (@john-h)
5th September 2013, 17:28
Groundhog day
andae23 (@andae23)
5th September 2013, 17:31
Hehe, I recently read an article header “Ferrari: ‘Massa needs to improve on-track results'”
BasCB (@bascb)
6th September 2013, 7:59
Lol, yeah.
Funny if Massa feels he can deliver, then why hasn’t he been doing that in the last months (or years). Ferrari would show some winners mentality if they dropped him when he doesn’t get a podium (or at least a top 6 finish??) in Monza.
Aditya (@adityafakhri)
5th September 2013, 17:38
oh I believe in yesterday…
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
5th September 2013, 18:16
@adityafakhri I love that song too..
Simon (@s162000)
5th September 2013, 20:44
Yesterday, all those podiums seemed not far away, now i’m not sure I am here to stay, oh I believe in yesterday..
Suddenly, i’m not half the driver I used to be, there’s a Kimi hanging over me, oh I believe in yesterday…
Greg C
5th September 2013, 23:36
Bhahahaaaaaa
Classic !!!
BasCB (@bascb)
6th September 2013, 7:59
Nice @s162000
phildick (@phildick)
6th September 2013, 10:45
Yeah, very nice. A good songs always carries some universal message ;)
Spittel89
6th September 2013, 15:21
This better be the comment of the day
Commendatore (@commendatore)
5th September 2013, 17:59
I just hope that this season is Massa’s last one with Ferrari!!!
Though, the question I constantly ponder myself is why wasn’t he fired from the team much earlier???
If I were CEO of S.Ferrari, I’d’ve fired him immediately after the incident in HUN ’09.
But noo, they kept him for full 4 seasons, even though the results weren’t going in his favor for the whole 4 years (’10 – ’13). Comparing the differences in points between ALO and MAS in 2010, 2011 & 2012, shows us that because of this inept 2nd driver, Ferrari and Alonso lost 4 potential titles (2 WT in 2010 & 2 WT in 2012), and may lose 2 more WT this season…
David-A (@david-a)
5th September 2013, 18:21
@commendatore – So with your uncanny ability to see into the future, you would have fired your top pointscorer over the past 1.5 seasons as he was lying in hospital fighting for his life?
Commendatore (@commendatore)
6th September 2013, 10:25
@david-a
Massa’s incident sucked, and it was unfair to him, his family & friends, to his team and the fans. I was his greatest supporter after MSC’s departure.
But, you just cannot keep an underperforming driver for 4 full seasons.
So, if not at the end of 2009, then FOR SURE (pun intended) at the end of 2010 Massa should have been fired!
F1 is a fast moving business and if you’re not able to quickly adapt and contribute in any way for the team, then the team will find another who can.
Massa failed in doing just that for the last 4 years. The minimum Ferrari should’ve done was find another driver from 2011 – onwards.
David-A (@david-a)
6th September 2013, 10:38
@commendatore – Firing him at the end of 2009 would have made no sense, and would have been awful. So yeah, after 2010/2011 would have been better, and yes, Massa has underperformed for far too long to still be in the seat.
Neel Jani (@neelv27)
5th September 2013, 20:44
Probably that’s why you are not the CEO of S.Ferrari
Todfod (@todfod)
6th September 2013, 10:44
Hahaha.. true that.
Anyone who says firing Massa after his accident in 2009 clearly doesn’t know the basics of a running an organisation. -> Your star performer nearly loses his life while doing his , and you end up firing him!?!?!?!?
That doesn’t even make sense in hindsight
Commendatore (@commendatore)
6th September 2013, 12:05
@neelv27
And probably that’s why Ferrari haven’t won a single title since 2008 (when they failed miserably to keep the driver’s title away from Hamilton).
P.S. Massa & Domenicali should’ve been fired long ago…
BMWF1 (@)
6th September 2013, 11:49
What a disgusting comment.
Commendatore (@commendatore)
6th September 2013, 12:27
@bmwf1 @todfod
“You must never get too affectionate with racing drivers, because it either ends this way or they go race somewhere else. They are employees, even if very important ones.”
~ Enzo Ferrari
Todfod (@todfod)
6th September 2013, 14:37
@commendatore
I’m not talking about affection towards drivers.
You feel awfully proud claiming that you would have fired Massa in 2009. The fact is, that if you were actually to make that decision in 2009, there is no way in hell you would have made that decision. Massa was performing at the same level as Kimi and Hamilton, and there was no way of knowing his form when he returned. No team principal with any common sense would have fired Massa at that time. Heck, Luca would have fired you in 2009 if you had fired Massa
Its easy to say these things in Hindsight… but the fact is .. I didn’t hear you make the statement in 2009.. did I?
So cut the bs
Iestyn Davies (@fastiesty)
6th September 2013, 11:58
To be fair, if Enzo Ferrari were still in charge, that’s probably what he would have done.. (line up a replacement asap). When Lauda had his crash at the Nurburgring, Enzo promptly signed Carlos Reutemann.
Simon (@s162000)
5th September 2013, 20:33
at first glance i thought the first line said “Felipe Massa is for sure he will deliver better results..”
Paul A (@paul-a)
5th September 2013, 21:22
Recognizing that “there’s lies, damn lies, and statistics”, let’s look at some numbers for this season:
Top of the league (Newey factor?): Webber has 58% as many points as “team leader” (115 to 197)
Second (current WDC): Massa has 44% of “team leader” (67 to 151)
Third (current WDC): Rosberg has 69% of “team leader” (96 to 139)
Fourth (current WDC): Grosjean has 40% of “team leader” (53 to 134)
Now, everyone else’s opinion of “bad luck” and “team orders/priorities” might vary and (although I hate to say it) some teams have bean counters who can overrule logical, technical, operational decisions, but my best guess is that Massa would be better off with a very well deserved strategic retirement. I have the greatest of respect for him, his accident sucks, but maybe the time has come?
Deej92 (@deej92)
5th September 2013, 22:39
My view: I expect a Ferrari announcement after the Singapore GP and before the Korean GP. Massa has two races to save his seat.
Todfod (@todfod)
6th September 2013, 11:38
Even if Massa finished just behind Alonso in these 2 races, it wouldn’t make up for 90% of the races where he has been pure rubbish.
I think if he takes Vettel out of the next 2 races.. then he might have a shot at it.
Deej92 (@deej92)
6th September 2013, 11:58
@todford I know, Ferrari seem to tolerate rubbish. Maybe if he has a couple of bad races it will make the decision easier. If he has decent races (i.e. around 7th or above) then unfortunately they’ll probably give him the seat as that seems to be the standard Ferrari accept.
I’m just trying to make it sound interesting!
Deej92 (@deej92)
6th September 2013, 11:59
@todfod *
sennapart2
5th September 2013, 22:50
I never understood it either as to why ferrari have the under performing Massa for so long. Well until I read a recent interview of Massa where he talked about his family having originally migrated from Italy to Brazil. He his family has always identified itself as Italian and he even has an Italian passport. Loyalty is the Italians weakness or perhaps strength.
Denis 68
5th September 2013, 23:58
“He his family has always identified itself as Italian and he even has an Italian passport.”
Massa is Brazilian as the flag next to his name on his Ferrari race suit confirms. Ferrari couldn’t give Italian drivers the time of day. Massa is very lucky that he’s Brazilian because if he was Italian he never would have gotten anywhere near driving for the Ferrari F1 team.
Do you believe Ferrari would have kept an underperforming Italian driver so long?
Ivan (@)
6th September 2013, 9:36
He is Brasilian, Fiat owns Ferrari and Fiat produces and sells more cars in Brasil and South America then in Europe, that really helps to keep his seat, have that in your mind.
Also he is promoter for Santander for Brasil.
Denis 68
6th September 2013, 13:16
Does that make him a paydriver then?
A team as rich and prestigious as Ferrari should always have the two best drivers that they can get and sadly Massa does not fall into that category. Nationality should not have anything to do with it when it comes to Ferrari.
Daniel (@collettdumbletonhall)
6th September 2013, 18:21
I don’t get how Ferrari can claim that no one individual is bigger than the team yet they persist on keeping this guy driving for them because that way they can base the team around Fernando.
Ali
6th September 2013, 20:55
I wonder if Massa never had that accident in 09!? Would’ve Ferrari fired him and not kimi?