Massa was testing new parts for Ferrari in Korea

Many observers at the Korean Grand Prix were surprised by the significant difference in pace between the two Ferraris. Indeed, over the course of half a dozen laps, Felipe Massa, following the second pit stop, closed the gap significantly, ending up two seconds behind Fernando Alonso, hitting the wall of the title race, without which he would certainly have passed the Spaniard. This performance gap was so surprising that some wondered if it would have been better to let the Brazilian pass his teammate to try to catch Mark Webber himself, in the hope of allowing Alonso to then come back on the Australian.

The Iberian edition of the newspaper 20 minutes explains this difference in speed by the fact that Felipe Massa allegedly benefited from some new features on his Ferrari F2012: « Ferrari is preparing a complete package of improvements for India, which includes among other things an exhaust evolution similar to the one used by Red Bull. The team will also perfect the aerodynamics of the wings and is working at full speed on a Double DRS. These parts were tested in Toyota’s tunnel (the Maranello one is out of order) and some were successfully tried in Korea on Felipe Massa’s car. Alonso did not use them in Yeongam to avoid taking risks. »

An information that explains the difference in performance levels between the two cars during the South Korean Grand Prix but also highlights the “tester” work of Felipe Massa and his role in the development and improvement of the Ferrari this season, at a time when private testing is practically nonexistent.

On the other hand, and contrary to what is reported by some websites, the Brazilian’s Ferrari F2012 did not sport exhausts copied from those of the Red Bull during the Korean race. However, this new element could make its debut in India for the 17th race of the season, which will be held at the Buddh circuit.