Massa was the one driver who *shoudn't* have listened to team orders. They keep putting him in tire preservation mode, rather than letting him go for it. With only one car left, I can see where the team would want to get *some* points, guaranteed. But with DRS, just cruising around guarantees you nothing good, as you can't defend positions. When they pulled him in for slicks (too early), they pushed him down to something like 20th. So 5th isn't that bad, for a race where he spent most of the time just in cruise -- per team orders. He finally decided to go for it at the end, but he should have been on it from the start, instead of blocking for Alonso. (Fred doesn't like the idea of them both going for it, because Massa is consistently quicker off the line than Alonso.) (Although Zo's reputation as a "crazy man" does let him get away with crazy passes Massa wouldn't pull. )
If it was Alonso that came in 5th all his fanboys would be saying oh wow awesome drive to drag that dog of a ferrari into 5th.. unbelievable... such masterful and composed driving... massa beat both lotuses including that of previous race winner kimi... so if Massa sucks... Kimi.. sucks worse?
Where's the, "oh my gosh Massa has more points than Alonso and qualified ahead of Alonso twice, he is undoubtedly better" crowd.
Massa just plain sucks in the mixed conditions that occurred at the start of the race. He went backwards immediately and even Hobbs was saying wtf when he was tinkering around in seventh. Still Let us hope he does well in the RACE in China, not qualifying.
I remind you that he out-qualified Zo in the mixed conditions like those that occurred at the start of the race. But people were saying how much Massa sucked, even when he was winning in '08. I'm convinced people insist that champions *have* to be jerks, so they can think that being a jerk will make you a champion.
Today's race showed once and for all that all the conspiracy theories of Massa having to back down for Alonso are plain BS. The guy just can't get to the front, whether there is Alonso in the race or not.
Yep the lack of objectivity here is asonishing LOL! FA was a clown today. Massa kept his cool avoided trouble and brought home the points. He is the problem clearly LOL!
Sorry but post facts. You know this how? You dont. Here is the narrative: FA starts hits another driver and without any help from pit wall blows his own race. So Massa gets points. The hero of the team today is???? I know I know Silverstone etc etc etc. Sorry but you are out to lunch. Try some objectivity and post up facts about Massa and his lack of pace. What was the issue. You dont know. None of us do but he got points. Not good enough for you and alot of people here. Your boy was a clown today. Get over it.
Yap, Maybe felipe wasn´t brilliant but Alonso for sure wasn´t any better!!! PLus, fernado seriously screwd Felipe´s start..(not intended of course) but Felipe lost a few plaves by getting stuck with Alonso in the first turns....then his pace was not so bad compared to the front guys.....i still think the Ferrari is pretty good and i´m sure it will be fichting for victory in china. The fact that Phil beats Alonso for the 4th consecutive time is probably getting Fred´s nervers.....
I doubt FA cares. He shouldnt. No one can argue that FA is a bit more complete as a driver. I want to hear from the team and Massa why he was unable to move beyond 5th. I knew he wouldnt have a great start today. I knew FA was just follow Vettel straight down and he did. The rest of it was hilarious and sad. Im glad Massa stayed cool, on the track and got some points. I want to know why before I call for his head what happend to his pace. Considering the FA fiasco Massa looks a bit better today. Im happy about that but not blind in anyway that FA is still a touch better and has the backing of the team overall. Makes no sense why Massa's form dropped off considering he was more than competitive all weekend. If he just had a bad race so be it. Certainly thats not a trend anyone wants, certainly not the team.
+1 Drove a poor race. Nowhere near the front. Something tells me Alonso would have been in contention for a podium had that wing held on...
This, to me, is where Massa has failed so badly so often. When he really gets the chance to prove himself, he never seems to take advantage of it. He out qualified Alonso in two races and in two races has failed to do much with it. At what point do you say... it's not the team, it's the driver.
I hope Massa continues to do well just for the sake of being able to read comedy like this. Thank you for the laughs. I needed it after such an utterly mediocre race from Ferrari.
