I agree with most of your post but I have a problem with the comment about the "BS". To me, as long as it's a team sport, the TEAM should be allowed to do whatever it wants TO WIN. WINNING is everything. I wouldn't give a hoot for a team who like to finish second. The day Ferrari is satisfied for coming in second is the day I stop supporting them. A team should be allowed to do whatever it wants to win. Every team sport in the world will move players around to gain an advantage -- except in F1 where it's something horrible. As to Massa being disppointed in Ferrari, I think it's quite the opposite. All you have to do is look at Massa's qualifying positions vs Alonso this season. In qualifying, there are few excuses. Both guys are in similar machinary with similar strategies and similar conditions. You can't seriously think that Ferrari is intentionally sandbagging Massa's car in qualifying because it makes no sense. Massa hasn't been along side Alonso practically the entire season. He's taken very few points away from Alonso's competitors. Massa simply has not had a great season. Blaming the team over one event is no excuse for his poor performance vs Alonso this year.
Zactly..a real good driver for sloppy seconds and a GREAT driver for the wins. That way the resources and focus are put in a hierarchy instead of used to compete against and cannibalize each other.
Like I said, MS will be given a shot at No 1, but he'll have to earn it with his right foot...it won't just be GIVEN to him like it was his last go-round with Ferrari I know it's far fetched, but I'm just cycling through all of the possibilities of seat swaps and this seemed to be an intriguing one... Just thinking outside of the box on this, the same way I did back in 07 when I said that it would make a lot of sense for a Alonso/Heikki swap as some will remember on here... May not be probable, but it is possible and it IS intriguing to contemplate... Schumi has lost a LOT of his negotiating power with his performance vs Rosberg this year... It is what it is... Frank
I don't think your post jives. You say Ferrari would never protect a drivers #1 position and they have always been that way, but then you say Massa was treated badly by the team order BS. The orders were purely because Alonso was the #1 and to help him get ahead. Also, clearly Ferrari did have #1's before, most recently Schumacher/Barrichello. As for the friction at Red Bull, Webber is doing a lot of whining over there - he was always a mid pack driver who lucked into the best car on the grid and a teammate who had alot more mechanical failures than he had, so he ought to be kissing RBR's butt that he's even in contention for the WDC.
+1000 His luck has run out. When Alonso is consistenly top 3 and winning races with Massa nowhere to be found, it's time to go. The only reason why I see him sticking around is because of Alonso. As we all know, Alonso doesn't get along with someone who is close to him in speed. But like someone else said, WCC pays bills. And Sutil would be a great replacement, and possibly the Hulk? Kobayashi? Alex
The problem with Sutil is that he is still too reckless. Kobayashi and Hulk, though they have showed promise still don't have the experience or the consistency. I don't see Ferrari hiring too many inexperienced drivers. Remember Massa was hired after a few years of driving for Sauber and even then was merely a test driver for a year at Ferrari. It was then that Schumi was his mentor
I am so tired of this perpetual bull that Ferrari is all about a #1 driver, and the other is subjugated from the start. Ferrari doesnt typically show favortism toward any one driver until that driver starts winning. When one driver is winning, and the other isnt, it only makes sense that as a TEAM you support where the results are comming. Points make a championship, not some kind of forced effort of "fairness" between drivers. Drivers are paid to win. If they are, they are doing their job. If they are not, they have a whole crew to personally attend to their needs, (separate from the other driver's crew) to help them overcome whatever they need to overcome in order to win. Understand, we are not talking about just wining a race here or there, but showing consistant ability to win races. I am no big fan of Alonso, but he did not get preferencial treatment over Massa, until he was the one consistantly qualifying and placing at the top, while Massa had race after race of crap. The season opener was a perfect example. Felipe was the established team member, and Alonso came in and blew him into the weeds. He didnt do this with equipment superior to Massa, a DNF, or team orders. So much was made about this seasons team orders. But the fact is, Massa was not winning, and really had largely torpedoed his chances for the championship this year. He should have politely moved over for Alonso, made it look good for the FIA, and shut up about it. Instead, even though Alonso was clearly faster, (albeit not ahead at the time) and he was already plenty of points in the hole compared to Fernando, he had to be a baby about what was right for the team. Ferrari has made no bones about the fact that they are far more about team results than driver results. However, they typically begin the year with two drivers with equal equipment, equal development, and their own personal crew to attend to their individual needs. Whichever driver capitolizes on this and starts winning consistantly, they then become the number one, not before.
Eh...I'm pretty sure he "earned it with his right foot" last go around. Any questions about earning anything were put to rest a few races into 1996...
I just think it would be fascinating to see Schumi back in a Ferrari cockpit...especially if they allow lots of testing I just think a seat swap between Massa and Schumi would give them both maybe what they need at this point in time... both could be amenable to a swap considering all of the water under the bridge... both have suffered nightmarish seasons at teams they entered the season thinking they would be in with a shout at the WDC... Stranger things have happened and it does make a certain amount of sense. At least at Mercedes Massa would be able to fight for victories and I can see Ross Brawn holding that carrot over his head, they seemed to work well enough together in 2006... Be cool to see Schumi come back to Ferrari and a strong car and we can see what he still has with Alonso as a good benchmark... We can always dream, can't we? Frank
Didn't we just spend a year seeing what he has against Rosberg? Why do we need to see how he compares to the top tier when he doesn't even stack up to the 2nd tier?
Agreed. The Ferrari era is over for Schumi. He doesn't need to go back there to prove anything, it would only damage his Scuderia historical legacy, and he would get roasted for breakfast by Fred. He should stay at Team Germany where he now belongs.
Although i agree with some of you that Massa may have lost his touch a little this year (due to his accident last year perhaps?), i think Ferrari needs to step up the game as far as their car is concerned. Last year, BrawnGP had no problems making a quick car and this year, it's Red Bull..... I am a big fan of Ferrari but, it isnt always the driver. If you drive a car that is unreliable and not as quick as the rest, what do you expect? Just my opinion... James
Schu and Zo on the same team?? Never in a million yearz. Zo and Kubica? Also never ever could I see this happening. Alonso and Hulkenburg I could definitely see. I hope Ferrari sees his potential and gets him in the seat one day, but he may need another season with Williams to bake a bit more. Massa can head to Force India and help them out. Take Liuzzi's spot. If Rosberg has another successful (relative term) year next season he should definitely be offered a hot seat. That is of course if the Merc is not a performer.....
