Claiming medical reasons for refusing to drive the turd the 2009 Ferrari was after Massa's accident. Remember MS was on Ferrari's payroll at the time and it was assumed he'd replace an ill driver. However as he saw at the test drives what turd the car was, he held the infamous press conference where his doctors claimed he could never drive a F1 again or risk becoming a vegetable in the slightest of accidents. A few months later MS signed with Merc... Call it what you want, to me that is betrayal. Sorry for the repost, didn't mean to go over this again, but since you asked.
You're nuts! By the time he had to actually DRIVE a F1 car, he had another 6 months of rehab. Apart from you, I never heard anything other than the pain from the neck was still too severe when he drove the Ferrari, as it was only a few months since the accident. Makes perfect sense....and few extra months for an injury to heal makes a hell of a difference. So...no betrayal.
This was not about pain (he never complained about neck pain but about headaches). His doctors said that the fraction of the vertebrae could possibly never heal to the point of sustaining another trauma hence severing his spinal cord in the neck. Google it, you will find the press releases (Lausanne, 2009, MS). Also other doctors who saw the x-rays said they were stunned at the diagnosis and never thought this was a big deal. Also right after his accident the doctors at the track released him after examination. The whole press conference was a scam to get out of driving the Ferrari.
Maybe...... Maybe not. Even if that is the truth, which is unlikely, who can blame him for not wanting to drive it?
It's asinine for Michael to jump head first into a pile of car when Michael knew his performance would have absolutely zero outcome on the WCC for Ferrari anyway. Ferrari themselves don't hold this against him.
And Schumacher's neck injury/F1 comeback/ F1 retirement (for the 2nd time)/ Japanese qualifying/ etc,. etc., is the reason Massa Sucks (allegedly), because?
I cat believe hamilton is going to MB after McLaren raised him from childhood! I feel sorry for MS now as he did so much for Ferrari which we cannot forget. There was rumor he was to replace Massa. also I cant believe Perez is going to McLaren as I though the was to end up at Ferrari! I hope Alonso wins for the team but the only guy I really like of the top guys is Weber he seems like a gentleman and is a good driver. sorry to ramble Rob
Well before the race, Ferrari said a podium was not possible, and Alonso was going to be doing damage limitation only. If it was Alonso who got 2nd, all his fanboys would be saying how incredible, how amazing, he extracted the maximum from the car, he's such an incredible driver, etc. Massa got 2nd when Ferrari said podium was impossible, how come nobody wants to give him the same plaudits? Being a 2nd driver in any team is an extremely difficult and thankless task. Today Massa demonstrated that without the Alonso albatross around his neck, he has loads of speed and talent to spare.
That's because he's been saving it up for 2 seasons! Seriously though,... great drive / result by Massa today. I congratulate him.
+1 for Felipe!!!! Fernando will not be champ either this year... The vettel newey combo appears to be on a tear...
Great job today from Massa. He did a fabulous job keeping the very competitive Sauber away. Alonso could have done no better
I totally agree........Tears of happiness this end. Perhaps this will shut down the childish petition to have Massa removed. Wonder what all you Massa doubters are saying now ?????? That really was a GREAT drive.........Going to get drunk....
That wasn't a great drive at all. Massa merely got lucky when the two Lotus drivers took out Webber and Alonso. Massa couldn't close the gap at all; in fact, he went backward relative to Vettel. He's been asleep all season. Instead of taking points off of the other WDC contenders, he's been rolling out the red carpet for the Force Indias nearly all season. Massa has been pointless in the WCC, too.
It must sort of rub salt in FA's DNF wounds, him getting 2nd, had that been Fred it really would have strengthened his 3 WDC chances.
Well the record books simply don't car about circumstance do they. Wow, circumstance and luck all of the sudden matter don't they. It's amazing. Lol. The double standards some hold make me laugh out of my chair at times like this