In keeping with the "dump on the Ferrari F1 team", I would like to bring up that Massa has shown little form this year. I love the guy but maybe someone needs to give him a swift kick in the pants.
I love the guys too, but he should have never come back. I know he needed to for himself, but he has lost his edge. He is still one of the faster guys out there but he doesnt have the nerve anymore to be the fastest. MS should have steped in for him last year, and meybe he would have figured he didnt have it as well. Jim
Lets add the aerodynamicist's and all the janitors, while we are at it. I hate to forget anyone who is not making the effort .
Given his performance so far this year he's a tough case to make for 2011. As a fan of his it's hard to admit.
Start from the top and move down. Don't worry about the drivers yet. Ferrari does need change though. They look like a complete joke this year.
It's so hard to say. He lost the WDC by one point, so he has it in him, but this year he is way behind Alonso. What have you done for me lately? I would like to see Rosberg in red.
Massa is just perfect in the second Ferrari. He should stay forever. That way Alonso won't have to worry about his teammate. Massa in the team is so much better for Fernando than e.g. Kubica or Vettel. Go Felipe! Err, I mean: Stay Felipe!
I am no Massa fan, but it's hard to fault him totally for the situation. He has never been a passer or a come-from-behind type of guy. Some folks thought he was special because of one year, but one good year doesn't eclipse lots of mediocre ones. That year was an anomaly. He's not a great driver and never has been. But he isn't as much to blame as his points standing would suggest. The team has let him down. Alonso crashed into him this last race. Alonso stiffed him at least once before - in China. If it wasn't for his teammate stiffing him, he would be ahead of Rosberg and Kubica, hopefully. He ought to be. The Ferrari was the fastest car at the start, and is neck and neck for 2nd fastest at the moment. Their points do not reflect the quality of the car at ALL. And it sure as **** ain't Hamiltons fault, despite what Alonsowhiner thinks.
Somebody should mark this thread for posterity: SRT Mike and me both supporting Massa. It will never happen again. I swear.
I would love to see Ferrari sign Hamilton... And they should tell Alonso over an open radio during a race...
Well, you have your favorite drivers and I have mine. Besides: I'm not a believer in teams with two superstars. Nor was probably Red Bull but then Webber flipped a switch in his head and now they have the same problem that McLaren has. If the Ferrari were a tad better and Dumbenicali not so nomen-est-omen, Alonso could do to them what Prost did to the Williams duo. Except that Alonso would do it to 4 drivers at the same time.
I have favorite teams more than favorite drivers. In the past Massa was the kind of number two a team needs. Someone who can win when number one stumbles. Sorry to say but Massa no longer seems to fill that role.
If the Ferrari were still as good as it was in e.g. 2007 and 2008, I'm sure Massa would still be winning races. PS: Are we in a parallel universe here? YOU are the Massa fan and I can't stand him!?!
Really? Well one of those teams and one of those drivers from McLaren or Red Bull will both win the WCC and the WDC this year so it seems to work very well.
Must be upside down day, Its when the car is less than best that you need a strong number two (Should I rephrase that?). And yes I'm a big Massa fan but It would be dishonest and disrespectful for me to say he should keep a seat he no longer deserves.
No it doesn't. If Webber hadn't flipped the switch or would have rolled over and played nice #2 driver, then Vettel would be leading the championship. Same is true for McLaren, where Button has been eating into Hamilton's points. Having two top drivers only works when the car is so dominant that it doesn't matter who wins. Kinda like in the McLaren years with Lauda/Prost and Senna/Prost. But it doesn't work when there is another team, which could spoil the result. Right now Hamilton (and Button) have a realistic chance at winning the title. They wouldn't be in that position if Webber were a mere #2 driver. And I'm not bashing Webber here at all. He is doing a fantastic job. For himself, but not for Vettel (and I'm not saying he has to, but Horner probably thinks that).
The teams tend to care more about the WCC than the WDC. If McLaren and Red Bull just had average #2 drivers they would have far less points as a team and that would make winning the WCC much harder. We will see what happens. This has been a very interesting season and it is only going to get better
All the examples you give show how corrosive having two (DeFacto) number ones is. Thing is that it seem to yields championships,
Do you honestly believe that? Logically it makes more sense that car manufacturers prefer the WCC than the WDC. However the marketing reality is that most fans prefer the WDC and that it is easier to sell a car through the WDC than the WCC. As for garagistes: There only goal is the WDC to begin with. If you doubt my words I recommend you look at the press and marketing material Ferrari came up with during their Schumacher years: When Schumacher won the title for Ferrari, they badged that right into the 360 Ferraris. They only mention the WCC when they DONT win the WDC. Ergo: The WCC is the consolation prize for the WDC. Matchett thinks otherwise, but he is a fool.
Yes I do. It shows that you can operate as a team. Obviously it is best to win both and normally one team will. I know that Ferrari is a bit different in their goals and they only had one driver for many years but they had some very smart people working in the team and this worked at the time.
