Going down this path will only result in another battle ground. kimi wouldnt be wdc without massa (and mcl) - period. ***** and moan about the last 2 races.
well at least the loser in the second Ferrari driver couldn't get into the champhionship, Kimi got there. But as you don't have a clue you won't understand...right ?
I have always been a Massa supporter. I like him and admire his talent but after today, must admit, I am beginning to doubt. Seemed to me the spin was just a lapse in concentration. Bummer of it is that in many places it might not have cost him even a spot on the grid as I believe he had at least 15 seconds on Kubica. Of course, it could have happened where he hit a tire wall.........oh thats right, he already did that one last week. I still like the guy but am losing faith quickly. Glad to see Kubica doing so well. Have a lot of respect for him and wish him the best. Did not like HK at first but he is very good and growing on me.
A lapse in concentration when trying to push and keep up with Kimi? Naw. He just can't handle the car without the electronic babysitters. Fact: Kimi was 2 seconds gap behind Massa before Massa pitted. Kimi fast-laps, pits and come out ahead of Massa, barely. Battle ensues, and Massa is 5 seconds behind kimi by he time he looped it. Sounds like he was just trying too hard. Looks like it too. Oh well.
+1. He's gonna win one of these things this year! +1. More reserved and circumspect than Hammie but producing the goods when it counts. Cheers
Massa's problem's not driving, but ego. Ferrari needs to take the "coach" status off Schumi and let Massa be a second driver. If not, this is going to turn into a Kimi-Juan Pablo situation two years ago at McLaren. It's not going to be a Hamilton-Alonso, because, at least to my eyes, Kimi and Massa don't detest each other. And forget about replacing Massa with Alsonso...did you all not see last year what happens when Alonso isn't the true number one guy? It would be a an Alonso for Kimi switch after the 09' season. Would you really scrap Kimi for Fernado? We saw the poison he brought to McLaren...don't forget about his role in the scandal. Not a team player.
Alonso is well suited with Briatore, and I don't think that any of the "new" Ferrari team will actually want him that badly. And besides... he's not a threat for the WDC this year, but he's been detting so much praise from the press for how well he's handling the R28 I think that will do him much more good than contending for another WDC this year. I personally love watching him drive this season, he is showing his supurb handling of the car's oversteer without TC. Massa should be studying tapes of Fernando...
To bring something positive out of Massa's cock up's IMO it should be this: First make sure he know's he isn't fighting Kimi for the WDC. ie he is the #2 driver. Take poles in Qualifying.. one thing he is good at is fast hot lap's , I hate to say this but.. be prepared to give up position in the race. In this case the pressure is of him, he just then needs to keep the car on track no aggressive overtaking, pick up points for the team keeping consistant ,and all being well as thing's progress he could still pick up enough point's to challange for the WDC IF Kimi gets mathematically out of contention.. As it stand's he has nothing to show on his first 2 outing's. So on that count he should keep his head down and do his best, His best may not be good enough, but he needs to realize that, it's still a bit to early for him to be sacked, although this maybe the only option if he keep's pushing it. My 2 rats worth.
Well, he's now down 0-11, I think he knows that points are more important than a win, now. Of course, he was down 9 points on Kimi this time last year. Two races later, he was ahead of Kimi. (I don't think it's gonna be that easy, this year. But if Ferrari has reliability or operations issues, they'll need both drivers going for points.) I'd really like to see just what happens in a wet race ... without TC.
Ya'll are all up in arms about Massa and how he should be canned - most posts just repeat themselves - ya'll are just like a shark feeding frenzy. CHILL OUT. . . here's what Ferrari has to say about it . . . I THINK WHAT FERRARI THINKS IS MUCH MORE VALUABLE THAN MOST DRIBBLE ON FCHAT. From Autosport this morning - Ferrari not concerned by Massa's form By Jonathan Noble and Michele Lostia Monday, March 24th 2008, 11:16 GMT Ferrari insist they are not concerned about Felipe Massa's disastrous start to the season, despite the Brazilian throwing away second place in the Malaysian Grand Prix. Massa ran wide at Turn 6 halfway through the race at Sepang. When he clouted a kerb it stalled the car's aerodynamics and caused him to lose control of the rear at the following turn - pitching him off the track and into a gravel trap. Following on from his retirement in Australia, where he spun at the first corner before an engine failure put him out, Massa has failed to score any points so far this year. But Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has said there is no panic about Massa, and he is confident the Brazilian can bounce back in Bahrain. "It's true that it's two no scores that are important in both the drivers' and the constructors' championships," said Domenicali. "But on the other hand we must not over-dramatize: the points table is close after two Grands Prix. I'm convinced that from Felipe's and our point of view, a response won't go amiss in Bahrain." Domenicali also made it clear that he did not think Massa was suffering from the pressure put on him by Kimi Raikkonen. "I don't want to talk about this matter because Felipe did an extraordinary qualifying lap in Malaysia. Having seen on what lap he pitted compared to the others, you can work out that his lap was really unique. "So Felipe has all the qualities and the capabilities to do well. The championship is long and the team are united, so I see no worries from this aspect." Domenicali said the team will make sure the spin was not caused by a mechanical failure. "We'll analyze that. At the moment we have to look at all the data. I think the car has just come back from parc ferme, so we'll have a look. But it's clear that the thing that characterized that excursion was the fact that he went over the kerb." * * * Carol
Wet race WITH TC Massa was in the Kitty Litter. Without it, I wouldn't be surprised to see him loop it coming from the garage to the pitlane! Its too soon to fire the poor guy, of course, but he needs to wake up to a BIG reality check. Kimi won't have to out qualify him, only wait till midway when he'll loop it trying to play catch up. Seriously. If Massa ALWAYS gets pole lets say (he's "good" at that) all Kimi really needs to do is avoid him blocking him into the pit wall on lights-out, turn a blinder when Massa pits. Jump him during the first stop, and take it home from there.
F1 drivers are some of the world's best paid sportsmen/entertainers......85% is not acceptable. Massa has been around F1 enough time to know unequivocally what is expected of him...after all he singlehandedly tried to bankrupt the Sauber team through bent racers. F1 remains in need of a clear-out - Fisichella,Trulli,Massa,Coulthard,Webber for starters - it's not working out.They are good ambassadors for the sport and have created good pension funds for themselves....if their motivation is still strong to race then there is FIA GT,DTM,ALMS or NASCAR. As a contemporary of all of the above, the smart guy has been Dario Franchitti.He's stayed Stateside, ploughing his own furrow well aware of his capabilities and limitations.Now he has won both the IRL,Indy 500 and has the opportunity to cement a long term future with Ganassi in NASCAR.Different racing I know, but an individual technique and not bad for the wallet, just ask Jeff Gordon,Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin. There is younger talent across the globe far more capable and hungry to succeed - Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, Ryan Hunter Reay to name but 3.
IMHO, Massa is a really fast driver. real raw too. he's proven to be on par with Alonso, Kimster, Hammi, etc, in terms of raw speed. but i think what he lacks is a bit of natural talent. he's a hardworking fella, trying to be the best out there. but while Massa needs to work hard to be the best, i think the likes of Kimi and Alonso, don't need to. i just think they have an upperhand in terms of talent. i'm not saying that Massa is useless. he putting the car on pole, winning, fastest laps, are prove that he can drive. but sometimes, he tends to make silly mistakes, maybe just a lapse of focus, or under pressure, and he just loses it. while i'm dissapointed in his performance, i also have to bear in mind that he's just trying he's best here. i mean, he can just sit around and whine about it, but he gives his best, altho, i suppose deep down he knows that he's not the best. the comments i read here is just plain nasty and mean, most of it. i know most of us are upset with him, costing us valuable points, but at the end of the day, he's still our driver. he may have screwed up now, but he still has 16 races to do something about it. so, i think we dont have to be that harsh on him
Brian you are correct - the comments in most of the posts indicate some real unstableness in personalities - some of the folks on here really need help - for god's sake it's just a race - nothing more, nothing less. Those folks are not true tifosi no matter how they may claim to be. . Carol
THANKS Carol. the next race is in Bahrain, one of Massa's fav. track. i hope he'll score a pole, and take a win. i'm rooting fr him to bounce back with style.
Carol, I respect you greatly, and I preface these comments by saying I mean no disrespect... But that article is the best political way of saying "Massa screwed up, but we don't hold it against him too much." Ferrari isn't gonna come out and say "We're about to fire Felipe!" And of course they shouldn't! Massa is a really quick driver. But racing... and the lack of Traction Control... As much bashing that Massa gets, there are more that will blindly support him beyond reason. He makes mistakes, and somehow that garners MORE praise for him from some people. "He's a great guy!" Etc. He's a hard worker, he loves the team, etc etc. We know that. Kimi loves Ferrari too. And Domenicali and Baldessieri, and Di Montezemolo all love him on the team. Massa's position as a VERY GOOD no. 2 has never been clearer.
