ROSSI IN PLACE OF MASSA...THE PLOT THICKENS

Didn't Damon Hill ride bikes before the racing gig and the world championship?

 

Damon Hill, John Surtees....and i'm sure a few others. All bike riders before taking on F1. The main concern of F1 today is to continue to ATTRACT SPONSORSHIP. It is a little 'less' interested in the pure 'sporting' issues. A Alonso/Rossi pairing would bring huge new interest and many more big dollar sponsors. If Massa fails to reach his previous standard, I suspect he will be given a gracious push out the door. The shame of it is that he missed his chance due to a cheating scandal (thanks Flavio), and really should have been WC. Regardless, there is very little sentiment in this sport, and Massa will either do the job, or someone else will.

 

Never going to happen!.

If Sebastian Loeb can't get a super license Rossi stands no chance, no matter what Bernie might say, he hasn't got enough mileage under his belt.

The difference in Rossi's runs compared to Massa's is that Rossi was running the F2008 on GP2 tyres whereas Massa was running the F2008 on demonstration tyres which have hardly any grip whatsoever.

 

What a load of twoddle!

Need proof? Simple. No need to question Rossi's possible preformance, much much more simple than that.

If there were ANY concerns about Massa, they would have dropped him like a stone for a year and put Schumacher in the seat, not released him to Mercedes!

Team: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
Drivers: Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso = Marketing DREAM!!! Forget Rossi.

 

Exactly!

 

Kimi Raikonnen got his superlicense when he had driven only NINE races previously. Peter Sauber was told he couldn't get one....he did. The fact that Ferrari continues to let Rossi test is indicative that they see him as a possible Massa replacement. The PR aspect of Rossi in a Ferrari should not be underestimated. If Ferrari merely think he won't be an embarrasment (like Badoer), they will put him in the car. The best part of a season to come fully up to speed would be worth it for Ferrari to ensure a 'dream team' in 11'.

 

I also don't think you can count Rossi out. Also agree, why the continuous testing. The complimentary rides are long past. We don't know the real test times on similar equipment between VR and FM. I also think some underestimate the sponsorship and marketing opportunities. On top of gaining most of the motorcycle race fans as new F1 fans.

 

IIRC Rossi has already pledged himself to the Yamaha Moto GP team to compete in 2010. I think he will prefer trying to fend off the young pretenders for his crown such as Lorenzo in an exciting moto gp season than spend his time bumbling about midpack in a F1 season.

 

...or, he will realise that his crown in MotoGP is about to be usurped by Lorenzo and it would be a good time to bow out. He is 30, if he wants to race in Grands Prix now is the time to make the move. No contract in professional motorsport is worth the paper it's printed on (or late night tv!).

 

Not really. The time to make that move was about 15 years ago.

 

...didn't Bond finish you off...?

 

I think it's more than likely that Massa will not return, or if he does he will be that 100th of a second slower than he was before ... but why the heck Fisi would get the seat is beyond me. Might as well save the money and just run one car, seriously. And to make sponsors happy park a spare car behind the grand stand so spectators can play with it. heck maybe allow people to sit in it, etc.

Pete

 

Schumi wasn't Ferraris to do with as they please.

He is his own person, and I am not sure he would have accepted a role within Ferrari next to Alonso. Actually I am pretty sure he woudln't. He would rather be with Brawn at MB where he can be the #1 driver. Also, Brawn won WDC and WCC last year. Ferrari has struggled for two years now... MS wants to win, his days of wanting to be at Ferrari because it offers a great future are over.

 

I agree on Fisi. I don't think he will be in the Ferrari in a race again anytime soon unless it's a (very) temporary fill in. He was horrible this past year @ Ferrari.

On the bright side, there are a few teams who bailed out last year who had known-quantity good drivers that could be had. And there are also a few who I am sure would love to step up to Ferrari... guys like Heidfeld for example. I'm not sure who Ferrari is supplying for engines next year? But I'm sure they could call in some favors there too, if Massa ends up not being up for the job.

 

I would have thought that Ferrari would have a decent grasp on whether or not Massa will return. Do you guys think they're waiting for the test days to decide who will be driving alongside Alonso in 2010? Seems awful late to me to have one of their drivers be an unknown quantity...

 

Rossi in place of Massa has been dancing around since 2005. There's no way Rossi's gonna drive for Ferrari. And Massa will be fine.

 

If they wanted Massa to be replaced, they'd signed up MS or even Vettel in a heartbeat. When Massa was injured, guess who was shown the door? It proves that Ferrari knows more than us, and that Massa is fine.

As for Rossi testing, it's just a gift for his MotoGP crown. Nothing else. That was an F2008 he was driving. Very different animal to the F60, for example. Can Rossi handle 60-70 laps? No. Will he be good in race trim? No.

I have huge respect for Rossi, but it's crazy when everytime he tests for Ferrari, the rumour starts that Massa is going to be replaced. If Massa was indeed going to be replaced, they'd replace him with a current F1 driver, not a MotoGP rider. The stakes are too high.

 

Schumacher was not available (...Ferrari, been there, done that, he wasn't interested after Mercedes made their overtures). As for fitness....Rossi would be as fit as anyone with a proper training program. As I mentioned earlier, the REAL worry in the sport is the fading financial fortunes after the debacles of the past few years. Ferrari has Alonso, so they have their 'fast' driver. In Rossi, they will reap the biggest headlines possible. Rossi is also proving to be a quick learner, and naturally fast. I dont' know if Massa will be up to speed, but my suspicions remain. If he isn't, plan on a quick replacement being put in place. My money is on Rossi.

 

Well, Schumacher was available. He signed for Ferrari only in December. Massa had the accident in July. That about 6 months. Ferrari and Schumacher had plenty of time to work out the contract stuff/fitness stuff. But like i said, Ferrari knows more about this situation then we all do, hence the continuation with Massa.

 

Incorrect.

Ferrari, (Luca DiMontezemolo) was pushing for a third car for Schumacher right up until the window of oppertunity closed. Mercedes wanted an awnser by new year, Ferrari got the no, Schumacher moved. Simple. Ferrari and Michael BOTH wanted to race together, just not as bad as they wanted sponsor Santander...

If there were a seat avalible, Michael would be having it fitted as I type, but there wasn't, so he is at Mercedes.

Mike

 

There are no times for Massa, as with all F1 drivers he is not allowed to test until next month. Massa will be staying at Ferrari.

 

James Allen says:

Also:

 

Why is Massa either not going to return or be 100th of a second slower than he was?. His accident was not a driver error of his own making, there was no sudden failure of his car to scare him, all he knows is that one minute he was driving at 150mph on track then he fell asleep and woke up in hospital.

Lauda was given the last rites and yet he came back as fast as ever. Gilles Villenueve had many a bad accident, didn't slow him down any though. Schumacher wasn't any slower after breaking his leg. Hakkinen wasn't any slower after his accident at Adelaide in '95, so why is Massa so different?.

As for " why the heck Fisi would get the seat is beyond me.....", well that's kind of the point of a reserve driver isn't it?, if either of your named drivers cannot drive, you use your reserve driver.

Fisi "was horrible this past year @ Ferrari" more because the F60 was a horrible car to drive with all the compromises imposed on it, not because Fisi is a rubbish driver. Even Ferrari themselves admitted it wasn't a good car and that almost any driver would have struggled getting to grips with it with no testing allowed. The only drivers who may have stood a chance with it in those circumstances were: Schumacher, Hamilton or Alonso.

If Fisi' so rubbish a driver, how did he manage to get pole position and finish second at the Belgian GP last year in a Force India (and pushing Kimi hard 'til the end)?. Nobody else turned up?. Everybody feeling incredibly charitable that weekend?. Everybody else caught the flu and wern't feeling well?.

Exactly!, the F2008 is a well balanced, uncompromised concept and design, completely the opposite of the F60.

I'm not sure where James Allen got his lap times from as none were issued and Massa was running demonstration tyres with alot less grip than full racing tyres to comply with the testing ban.

 

Massa is going to have all you boys and girls eating crow if the new car is good.

He will be back with a vengence...."mark my words".

 

Won't be all of us, some of us haven't lost faith in him!.