Is Massa Ferrari's New #1? *Possible Spoiler*

I should hope so! Wins, Poles, Points...they all tell the same story.

Massa #1 and hopefully WDC.

Noel.

 

Ferrari had adopted the idea of no #1 until after Monza, and then it was not really a #1 driver but the driver with most likely chances of winning the WDC while not giving up the WCC. Remember, to Ferrari, the WCC is most important, then the WDC.

 

i hope so too,

as Massa is at least understandeble in on his own race review as Raikonen, if talking at all, souns like a pig with a cold

 

Massa should be the #1 now and I'm sure he is. However with Kimi hanging back so far, what does the #1 status really give Massa? Zero I'd say.

The more interesting question is, what is Massa's status next year and in 2010?

I was shocked, that Ferrari renewed Kimi's contract. He should have been fired.

PS: Is it just me or are there others who think that MS would have walked away with the title last year and this year had he stayed on?

 

Probably, but there is no one on the grid today that comes close to Michael Schumacher. I would suggest that Alonso is the best today.

 

Nah, today's McLaren would have presented M. Schumacher with a tight battle.

 

No doubt, but here is how I see it: MS is every bit as fast as Kimi or Massa. But without the flaws. Or at least less of them. Plus he wouldn't have accepted some of the stupid shots the team called last and this year (e.g. wrong tires at Fuji for the start or the wrong tires for Kimi at Silverstone). He wouldn't have crashed at Monaco in 07 and 08 like Kimi and he wouldn't have lost it like Massa in the first two races.


...argh, don't get me started.

 

Couldn't fire Kimi without Luca de Montezemolo's selection of him being exposed as a bad choice and the MS, Todt, Brawn group being ousted over it similarly exposed for the folly it was.

 

I didn't think it was a bad choice. It looked right at the time and he did get the title.

But now we're a year later and have seen a season of lacklustre performances. Time to reassess the situation. IMHO no loss of face for LdM if he'd do the right thing now.

Kimi didn't earn an extension of the contract. And if Massa is now #1, then that's because he earned it.

PS: I can't stand Massa and I'm a big Kimi fan, but that's neither here nor there for the driver's choice.

 

Seems many problems for Kimi have come down to team decisions, ie, to keep him out too long, tire selection, pit stop strategy etc.... they've made some bad calls this year. I'm thinking that there is a lack of leadership behind the scenes. That may have worked to Massa's advantage.

 

True, but it still doesn't explain why he isn't driving circles around Massa.

 

Massa has established himself the #1 driver and good for him.

Kimi although shows flashes of brillance fastest lap's etc, has for some reason not put it all together this season which is worrying.

I have to say and not a popular comment, but IMO, Kimi was given the title last year by Massa and LH/Mclaren.

As regards MS yes I think last year no question he would have won, this year he would be leading the standings in tight battle between LH, that is without the FIA's stupid stewards sticking there nose in spoiling great racing.

Would have loved to see a MS v LH battle in the wet.

 

Massa is definately number 1 in my opinion, he has so much more determination than Kimi which has resulted in better race results but we have to ask ourselves....is Kimi actually better than Massa...

I have never been a huge Kimi fan, finding him very over rated and his performances this season have done a lot to re inforce that opinion.

 

+1

 

Schumi would have easy seen off Kimi or Massa, and Lewis would not be winning these races in the rain !! I remember the days when we use to pray for rain during the race weekend, now i dread it !!!


Kimi, Alonso, Kubica etc last year all complained that he did not like the new control tyre, and most of the other drivers needed time to adjust to them, Schumi when he tested last year in spain took half a day to master them,by the afternoon he was fastest !!! It took Kimi half a year to get on top of them !!

 

Without a doubt. Kimis job tomorrow will be to stay in front of and hold back Lewis so Massa will gain maximum points advantage. Safety cars will make a big dent into the leaders tomorrow. Look for Massa to move up 2 or 3 positions at the start if its not too wet.

 

We'll see how well or not that'll play out.

Actually I'm psyched to see Hami and Kimi (and to some degree Massa) so far back on the grid: It is my wish of reversed grid come true to some extent. I expect all three of them slicing through the field like a hot knife in butter. If they dont, then it'll be time to reactivate the "Massa sucks", "Kimi sucks" thread and/or start a "Hami sucks" thread.

 

How could it look right at the time when it had to destabilise MS? Michael had the perfect support driver to conduct tire and setup testing during practice and benefit No. 1's qualifying performance. That's the payoff for a clear team #1 driver. Race results from #2 are secondary in importance in that strategy.

Any contender like Kimi would have to change a winning system, as we saw it did.

Kimi just scraped by with Massa's loyalty to Ferrari tipping the balance and gifting Kimi a status boost not entirely due him or his one man support cliche within Ferrari.

This year Massa with MS's mentoring is going all out for the reward his loyal service is due.
I wish him luck as its clear from the bits I've seen and scuttlebut that if he'd had Kimi's slump Luca de wouldn't have been so quick to resign him. Massa has earnt his situation the hard way imho, both paid his dues and significantly honed his skillset as a driver over the last two seasons.

Interesting to see how MS was relishing that qual session. Wasn't all about Hamilton that gave Michael that cheshire grin.

 

Well, we don't know what ultimately caused Michael's decision to retire. Some say it was his wife/family, which is hard to believe given that he races motorcycles now. Some say, he could have had the seat next to Kimi and it was Michael himself who didn't want that. And some say he was outright axed by LdM.

Fact is, that he didn't look his best anymore in 2006 and made some mistakes. He also was one of the oldest drivers and Kimi was superhot all these years missing the title for various reasons, but not because of lack of speed. So he was a prospect and actually proved that once he got used to the Ferrari (2nd half of 2007).

Also we don't really know how the dismantling of the dream team (Brawn, Todt etc) was related to MS' retirement: Some of that might have happened anyhow and was more of a LdM move to make the team more Italian. Remember Brawn wanted the top position, but was denied. Probably unrelated to MS' retirement. And remember how Todt allegedly embezzled money from the company and therefore was unceremoniously sacked.

 

KR has never had the consistency in his races as he doesn't have the heart that Massa has; he does not have the hunger and he does not strive to perform. Massa on the other end is consistent and wants the win. At the same time, he is a great team driver and has Ferrari's best interest in mind.

 

Uh, I just threw up a little in my mouth.

It is quotes like these that make me never want to root for Massa and instead support Kimi even if he is dead last.

 

You're not adressing my point about a winning structural strategy with a clear #1. I agree with your other points to some degree but of course MS didn't want Kimi beside him. I maintain for the strategic reasons rather than he thought Kimi a threat on track.
They had an approach that paid dividends in poles, which paid dividends in wins. Kimi's presence automaticly disrupted that strategy because he wouldn't ever play second fiddle and tire test etc for Michael during practice.

 

I'm not arguing that. But at some point LdM had to think about the future of the team.

In hindsight we're all smarter. I don't criticize LdM for his decisions in 2006, but for the one made just now, the one to renew Kimi's contract. And I lament the fact, that MS isn't driving anymore because he would have bagged 07 and 08.

 

Can't argue with that.Second para, that is.