Felipe Massa feels supported by Ferrari
Although rumors indicate that Ferrari is looking for a driver to replace Felipe Massa during the season if the Paulista doesn't quickly turn things around, the main person concerned nonetheless assures that he feels supported by his team and reflects on the difficulties he is currently facing.
After declaring, on the evening of the Spanish Grand Prix, that Scuderia Ferrari absolutely needed [Felipe Massa’s points] to also fight for the constructors’ championship, Stefano Domenicali once again emphasized on the official Scuderia Ferrari website at the beginning of the week the importance of the points that Fernando Alonso’s lieutenant could collect: With such tight margins, the distribution of points is wider and, consequently, the leaders have fewer points. Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, who share the lead in the drivers’ championship, each have 61 points, the lowest score since the new scale was introduced: Button had 70 points in 2010 and Vettel counted 118 last year. The same goes for the constructors’ championship: in 2010, McLaren led with 119 points, last year Red Bull dominated with 185 points, while today they have 76 fewer. Regarding the performance analysis of Scuderia and our two drivers, Fernando has always maintained a high level (67 points and second place in 2010, 51 points and fifth place last year) while Felipe’s drop has been felt. The Brazilian had 49 points two years ago, 24 points the following year, while so far this year, he only has 2. At Montmelo, Felipe was very unlucky, both in the race and in qualifying, but everyone, he more than anyone, expects this to change starting from the Monaco Grand Prix, his second home.
The statements from the director of the Italian team quickly reignited rumors about a possible mid-season replacement for the Paulista, with some names even circulating in the press. Thus, after the names of Adrian Sutil, Paul di Resta, and Nico Hülkenberg, the newspaper L’Equipe mentioned Jérôme d’Ambrosio, reserve driver for the Lotus F1 Team. On Twitter, however, the Scuderia preferred, as usual, to make light of the situation: « Someone found a good opportunity to promote yet another candidate to replace Felipe: this time, it’s D’Ambrosio… »
In an interview published on the official Ferrari website, the 2008 world vice-champion believes that the gap between him and Fernando Alonso is not as large as some people suggest: « I think that this year, the only race where there was a really big difference between Fernando and me was in Australia. Then, in Malaysia, the rain made it more difficult to get a clear idea. From China onwards, the difference between us in qualifying was not that significant. It was also the case in Barcelona, where without traffic, my lap in Q2 was in line with previous races and my pace on Sunday was not that far off [from Fernando’s]. I think we should also consider that right now, Fernando is driving incredibly: he’s in top form, maybe even perfect. »
The Ferrari driver also acknowledges struggling with the F2012, partly due to the weaknesses of his car and his driving style: « It is definitely not a very easy car to drive, and it’s hard to find the right balance. Many times, I found myself wrestling with the car, and in these circumstances, it’s easy to lose a tenth here and there: with my driving style, I might struggle a bit more because I can’t find a smooth way to drive. Then, it’s well-known that we don’t have enough aerodynamic downforce and we lack traction coming out of slow corners, which could be the biggest problem. In Spain, we made significant improvements, clearly evident from Fernando’s performance in the race, but I also had a good pace when I had clear air ahead. We also made some progress in terms of top speed, another area where we suffered from the start of the season. » Regarding the Spanish Grand Prix, the Paulista is still digesting the penalty he received during the race: « I’m really angry! Even today, I have a hard time understanding the reason for the drive-through, and that’s when my race was ruined. »
But for many observers, and while Felipe Massa hasn’t stood on a podium since his return to competition in 2010, the terrible accident he suffered during the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying partly explains his current difficulties, something the main party concerned refutes: « I have asked myself the question 45,000 times and I don’t think it’s the case, and why would I be slower? I won so much over three years, eleven races, [so] the question could arise. […] All the doctors I’ve consulted are ready to swear, hand on heart, that there is absolutely no trace of the impact with the spring. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t feel any different than I was before that weekend. For example, if it was true that I no longer had the same hunger for victory as before or the same courage, then how do you explain the fact that at the start of the race, I’m probably one of the best drivers and I’m not the type to hold back when it comes to overtaking. »
The Paulist is not worried about his immediate future with the Italian team: « I feel that the team supports me. Obviously, they are not happy with the results, just like me: we all want to get through this and return to normal. It’s possible and it’s certainly what I wish for, and I know that with the help of the team, we will achieve it. »
