The Massa Sucks Thread *OF COURSE THERE ARE SPOILERS*

Monaco 2008, Fuji 2007, European GP 2007. These are the one that stood out for me to remember. Now name me the ones he struggled besides Silverstone.

 

Phil's the #1 driver at SF until Kimi takes it away from him on the track.

 

+1 I dont like it but its a cold hard fact. Felipe deserves the support now. No question.

Kimi is just not getting it done. I wish he was.

 

Fuji 2007: How many times was he off the track? I lost count after 5.

Nuerburgring 2007 handed the victory to Alonso

Monaco 2008 he didn't struggle, agreed, but then again it was drizzle, not a full wet race.

And let's not forget Hungary 2006 where he was lapped.

How quickly some forget...

 

You're 100% correct, BUT if his engine wouldn't have quit on him in Hockenheim, he'd be the championship leader today. Massa is on fire now, and he has a good shot at the championship.

 

+2! MASSA ROCKS

 

I thought Massa pulled a nice hat trick today, Ferrari needs to get a grip on it's pit stops tho.

 

You mean Hungaroring, not Hockenheim?

True, he is now a serious championship contender. I'm guessing Ferrari won't pull any team orders until after Monza, so Kimi still has a chance to bounce back.

Adverse weather in Spa and some cooler temperatures in Monza could turn the Ferrari team battle on its head.

And Lewis might take advantage of the situation at Ferrari where the two drivers get in each other's way and points.

 

I sincerely wish that does not happen, for that is probably where Kimi won his title last year - the McLaren drivers getting in each others way. Ferrari need not wait till Monza, they have to make a call now and that call has to be Massa. Performances in the last few races should suffice for them to arrive at a decision.

 

Exactly, I have been saying this for a while, the longer it goes on the longer Lewis could/can take advantage, but in the interest of the sport it can not be the case in the obvious sense.

I have not written off Kimi, not by along chalk yet..

 

won't the designated #2 driver just give up a little?

How you gonna tell when SF picks a #1 driver?

What happens if in the next race, Phil blows his engine and Kimi wins the race? but Kimi has already been told he's #2.


Please let us know when SF makes the decision, who it is and how you know. thanks in advance and may the horse be with you.

 

Doing the Maths..why.

 

+1

more succint than the way I said it.

 

+2

With the engine problems looming, it would be hard pressed to see Massa pull off a win in two weeks.

P.S. Kimi needs to get it together.

 

I hate to say it, but Forza Massa. Kimi's head is still up his bum and it doesn't seem to be coming out for air anytime soon. I think my opinion of Massa has changed, he's looked awesome lately. Well, either that or I really don't want Hamilton to win. OK, so Massa doesn't suck, there I said it.....

 

You mean the team will let him down again?

Phil is still weak on controlling the car *past* the limits of traction. Once it comes loose, it tends to get away from him. I don't think the Brazilian did a lot of rallying in the snow.

But the team's weather prediction messed up Silverstone, for both drivers. Kimi backed off and just tried not to lose too many positions. Phil doesn't seem to be inclined to back down. And when he does (e.g. Germany '08), he gets roasted by the nay-sayers for "not fighting hard enough".

I've reviewed the wet races since Hungary '06 (where the whole "bad in the wet" stuff started), and have concluded that Phil's only shortcoming is that he pushes too hard when handed a car on ice skates -- and can't hold it in a slide.

Maybe he should do some drifting practice in the off season.

Did you also lose count of how many times he changed helmets? Half the time the Speed commentators were saying "Massa off", the helmet was white and blue --- Kimi. That was another race where both drivers got hung out by the team.

I think that Phil's comments about the 2nd pit incident today really point out how neither Phil nor Kimi are running their own strategy the way that Shumi used to. The crew shouldn't have released him? That never occurred to him.

 

After Monza.
They make all the big decisions at home.

 

Way to go amigo!

 

Ok then, here it is. The decision has been made tonight before bedtime in Maranello. Massa is now the #1 driver. Dont ask me how I know. If I tell you then I would have to kill you.

 

Agreed. The question was how many bad races Massa has had? The races being discussed are in the rain. Wasn't Prost horrible in the rain? Anyways aside from that he has made some mistakes, but so has everyone else. He is the only teammate Kimi has a hard time beating. Massa has done a great job.

 

I don't dislike Massa. In fact, I think he is a very good driver and is quite gracious in interviews. But I do think that he is benefitting more than any driver in F1 from a great car. I think that you could put Kimi in a Honda and he would snag a few podiums. I am not convinced that Massa could do the same. Even though I am a McLaren fan, I never get too upset when Massa wins. He is always fast in qualifying and really bounced back from the tragedy in Hungary to win today in Valencia. His sucess this season - 4 wins and a real shot at the WC - have made the Vettel/Alonso to Ferrari rumors easier to dismiss.

Maybe it is Kimi that will not be with Ferrrari next year. His contract for next year may just be gamesmanship by Ferrari to distract the press. You all know how much a "contract" means in F1.

 

I agree with you on most points but if Massa is benefitting from a great car then what is Kimi doing. He has the same car and my god he hasnt won a race since april.

 

Kimi is skipping around the track and waking up for a few laps at the end usually, but you are right Massa has no bigger advantage being in a Ferrari than Kimi does and along those lines how many poles and podiums was Heikki getting before he got into a McLaren eh?

 

I hear you guys. I guess I just can't shake the feeling that Kimi is not giving his best. He is just so damn quick. When he flips the switch he routinely sets fastest lap and gains on the field. I am at a loss as to why he doesn't do it from start to finish. I am tempted to think it is lack of motivation but he has always had the same demeanor. He is a hard guy to figure out.

You make an extremely good point about Heikki. But I think Heikki is a better driver than Massa - at least if you compare them at the same stage in their careers. Today was a perfect example of the Ferrari's superiority mechanically. Maybe Massa isn't sharing his setup with Kimi??

 

Massa is better than Heikki. Massa finished third in the championship first year with Ferrari and was teamed up with Schumacher. He had 2 wins and a bunch of poduims. Heikki has only had one win and no poles, also came from a decent team.