Where Would Massa Go?

I doubt he'd end up at Renualt. GF and Massa doesn't sound like that strong a driver line up (not enough for the championship anyway). McLaren might be an option but I don't see Kimi at McLaren unless MS retires. MS would NEVER have Kimi as his teammate.

 

if Renault can not get Kimi...I think they would go with Kovalainen rather than Massa...

today ... some websites are reporting that Kimi and MS will both be at Ferrari.

 

That's been reported for quite some time now. The "Pre-agreement" that Kimi signed has now expired and Kimi is free to do as he wants. I can't see Kimi at Ferrari if MS is around, Kimi will not sign a deal to be number two and MS doesn't want equal status especially with a driver like Kimi. I still think Kimi will either stay put or sign with Renault.

 

Good question this!! I'am sure many of us have enjoyed Massa's improvements over the season. He is driving much cleaner and confidently then he was in the early part, Which is fantastic for ferrari, but surprising due to the extra pressure he must be under with his performances playing a critical part in the championships!

I still can't see anthor top team taking Massa though! I think the most likely scenario would be for him to go back to the Ferrari test driver role, with the hope to taking Michaels seat once he retires!

There is only one race seat that i could see him getting, and thats Jacques Villeneuve's at BMW!

 

http://www.planet-f1.com/News/Story_Page/0,15909,3210_3213_1380808,00.html

I would guess that he spends a season as a tester and waits for MS to bow out in 2008.

 

It will be sad if Massa has to take a back seat next year. He has done a good job in recent weeks and seems to stopped making boneheaded mistakes as he did earlier this year.

But then again it will be more sad (to me at least) if Kimi doesnt get a car worthy enough to be a championship contender.

 

Massa is tremendously flattered by his Ferrari, he is simpy not that good of a driver. That Ferrari is so good, it would make Sato look like a championship contender. Massa is very inconsistent and error-prone. The thought that either McLaren or Renault would even consider him is laughable.

In all likelihood, Massa would either go to the likes of Midland as a paying driver (funded by Ferrari) or back to being a test driver.

To paraphrase Ron Dennis when discussing Fisichella, "If I wanted to hire him, I would have done so five years ago". The same can be said for Massa.

 

If I were Renault I would take Massa over Webber. Just my opinion. I honestly don't understand why more teams don't setup teams like Ferrari with a number 1 and number 2 driver. Just look at last weekend Fischi could have helped Alonso early on by letting him go by. I like the 1-2 strategy better than having two num. 1 drivers. It's hard to imagine there not being bias towards one person in particular.

 

I think all that all we saw so far - Massa is good at driving his Ferrari behind Michael's.

 

One thing is for sure, he has finally stepped up and is doing EXACTLY what Ferrari hired him and is paying him for. They could not ask for more from him at this point in the season. Ferrari should be very pleased.

 

You can be sure that the reason Massa is good at driving behind Michael is because he'd most likely get fired if he were good at driving in front of Michael.

 

Maybe he will end up at Red Bull or be a Ferrari test driver until MS hangs it up.

 

Its common belief that schumy will not race alongside kimi.
so if the kimi/ferrari romours are true .... then could it be that schumy already signed with another outfit ???. iirc ... a few months ago i read something about him linking up with toyota.

this could be true ..... especially now that Ross Brawn has decided to take some time off next year.

so it could be Massa/Kimi at Ferrari .... and MS someplace else.

just a thought.

 

I see the name Kovalainen in many threads, with people swearing by him.
Many say he should be driving for Renault next year.
Others say he is better than... Fisichella, Massa, etc...
What 's so special about this guy?

Is he going to be another Nico Rosberg, quick but prone to mistakes?
Whatever good he is, he would have a hard time adapting from a lower formula to GP before he is competitive.
The only one who has ever done that was Nelson Piquet who graduated from F3 to F1 and blew team mate Lauda straightaway.

 

I think it all depends upon what Michael decides to do.

If Michael stays, Michael will drive along side Massa. If Michael leaves, Kimi and Massa would become the Ferrari's new driver line up.

Kimi and Michael at Ferrari at the same time is too big of a risk for everyone, Kimi, MS and Ferrari. I would love to see that happen but I have my doubts.

 

You are right that Massa has been close to Schumi in Qualifying, a few times within 100's of a second ! But its still 12-0 to Schumi for the season in Qualifying!! The only driver this year to still have a white wash of his team mate ! Its 8-4 to Alonso over Fisi and Kimi beats Montoya/Pedro 9-3 !!

 

There are plenty of drivers who went straight from F3 to F1 and were immediately on pace, Senna and Prost to name just two.

 

Exactly.......

 

Schumi is dominating Massa, there is *no* reason to think Massa is even faster than Webber, Trulli, Button or others in the midpack. He has been merely adequate with a car that is quickly becoming the WCC car. Even Montoya, Trulli, and Fisichella competed better against Kimi & Alonso. To say that Massa is in the top 75% is laughable. Webber is much more deserving for an upgrade into any of the top 3 teams than Massa (which Webber will likely get in 2007).

 

I agree, although he is Brasilian, he is ok at most...

 

I think he's underestimated. There were several cases where he's been quicker off the line but conceded to Schumacher. I even think he was faster than Schumacher in the first part of Hockenheim's race and he backed off when Schumacher came out of the pitlane just in front of him. He's impressed me very much with mature and fast racing.

Best, Peter