MASSA Interview April 16, 2008: New Nose, Slicks, And Michael

(from autosport)


Q. You tried the new nosecone with the opening in the bodywork, what do think about it?

Felipe Massa: "It looks like a shark: there's the mouth, there's everything, so I'd say it looks a lot like a shark. I'd say, little-by-little we improve the car. This is an improvement: I wouldn't say the car will go one second faster after this but with a little bit here and there we can go our way. I'm happy with the car, it's very quick and consistent every time I used it yesterday and today."

Q. Today you used it with a higher-downforce configuration, is that right?

FM: "Yes, we changed small things on the car, we've had a small package more compared to the last race that always bring small improvements that little-by-little help. The track today was very good, and we did some good lap times."

Q. You also tried the new slick tyres for next year, what are they like?

FM: "Yes, I tried them yesterday and I enjoyed myself a lot. But it won't be exactly the same next season because many regulations will change regarding the car. However, I must say it was nice to get back to a car where you have incredible grip, so a driver must make big efforts. So I really enjoyed myself: slick tyres with such a good car are really enjoyable."

Q. Yet these tyres need time to get to the right temperature.

FM: "Without tyre covers, yes. It needs to be thought through because it's good safety-wise to leave the pits with some grip, because it'll be tough when you have cold temperatures. We must work on this and see how it goes before next year."

Q. You arrive in Europe after two bad races and a perfect one. What's your mood like?

FM: "Let's hope we can repeat what happens at the end rather than at the start. At the end we had a good race, we qualified well, so I'm confident and happy with the car. In my opinion we have the potential to be in good shape here too."

Q. So you enjoyed yourself, but do you think the public will have fun too next year with the aerodynamic loads and the slicks?

FM: "In my opinion they will, because with the slicks it's much nicer to drive, there's a lot more grip. By taking off some aerodynamics it will perhaps be easier to overtake. And with the slick tyre, which gives you more mechanical grip and is what allows to trail a car without losing aerodynamic load, it helps a lot and the spectacle should be even better."

Q. Having looked at this season's calendar, have you done some sort of progress board where you say 'I need to win this one', 'I can afford to be second here', etc?

FM: "It's impossible to do something like that. We must always see how each weekend goes. If you start at the front with a good strategy, then you know you have more chances to win, but if you start fourth with others maybe as heavy as you, then you know you must race with a view to get points, so it all depends what happens race by race."

Q. Having seen the last two races and this test, do you get the impression that the Ferrari is better than the other cars?

FM: "It's hard to say. For sure, in the last two races we had a very good pace, so I hope to carry on like this, but we must always keep our feet on the ground and remember that others are working as much as us."

Q. Michael Schumacher will be here tomorrow. Will you give him some advice about going slower on his bike, since he crashed at the Lausitzring yesterday?

FM: "It's hard to tell someone like Schumacher to go slow, so he does what he likes to do, and whatever has an engine he'll try to take it to its maximum, as I would. If I was on a bike I'd try to go as quick as possible. Although on the bike if you make a mistake you fall, while you don't in a car. So bikes are more difficult from this point of view, but you also learn by falling."

Q. Will you also try bikes?

FM: "Maybe one day. It's not the right time yet, but maybe it will be one day."

Q. What advantage do you think you have with the hole in the nose?

FM: "Nothing changes. You gain a bit in aerodynamics, so there's no advantage. There's just the work we do in the wind tunnel, and a hole in the nose like that is similar to maybe bringing an extra winglet."

Q. Does it allow you to run with less aerodynamic load?

FM: "No, nothing changes. You maybe gain just a little bit in aerodynamic load."

 

FURTHER COMMENTS BY MASSA ON NEW RULES

Massa: New rules will improve racing

Ferrari driver Felipe Massa believes that the re-introduction of slick tyres and low downforce regulations will improve the spectacle in Formula One next season.

The Brazilian ran on Bridgestone's latest slick tyres in testing at Barcelona on Tuesday and said that the grip generated by the tyres put more emphasis back on driver skill.

"I tried them [slicks] yesterday and I enjoyed myself a lot," he said. "But it won't be exactly the same next season because many regulations will change regarding the car.

"However, I must say it was nice to get back to a car where you have incredible grip, so a driver must make big efforts. So I really enjoyed myself: slick tyres with such a good car are really enjoyable."

Asked whether he thought the new regulations, which will also significantly reduce downforce levels in 2009, would allow for more a spectator-friendly sport, Massa replied: "In my opinion they will, because with the slicks it's much nicer to drive, there's a lot more grip.

"By taking off some aerodynamics it will perhaps be easier to overtake. And with the slick tyre, which gives you more mechanical grip and is what allows [you] to trail a car without losing aerodynamic load, it helps a lot and the spectacle should be even better."

Massa also expressed his satisfaction at Ferrari's new aero developments, which include a radical new nose cone and front wing.

"It looks like a shark: there's the mouth, there's everything, so I'd say it looks a lot like a shark," he said. "I'd say, little-by-little we improved the car. This is an improvement: I wouldn't say the car will go one second faster after this but with a little bit here and there we can go our way.

"I'm happy with the car, it's very quick and consistent every time I used it yesterday and today."

The Brazilian played down the significance of the new nose however, arguing that it was unlikely to bring significant gains in lap time.

"Nothing changes," he said. "You gain a bit in aerodynamics, so there's no advantage. There's just the work we do in the wind tunnel, and a hole in the nose like that is similar to maybe bringing an extra winglet."