I like Massa and want him to do well. I have a lot of respect for him and but his relationship with Ferrari can't continue after this year. Hitting the orange kerb was a very silly mistake and he did it twice this weekend. All the other F1 drivers managed to avoid it. It's not the first ridiculous mistake Massa has made this year. Massa is still quick on his day so I don't think his lack of pace is accident related, but Ferrari have put their faith in Massa several times in the past two years and Massa has failed to deliver. I know he's had his share of bad luck this year but even then, having 98 points compared to Alonso's 227 is a complete joke. If Alonso can manage 9 podiums including a win, why can Massa only manage 5th? I don't want to see another season of disappointment from Massa. At times he has been simply awful - like in Australia, where he got beaten by Petrov and Rosberg (and almost Kobayashi) in qualifying and followed it up with a disastrous race - so bad in fact that Perez was catching him near the end, with much older tyres. At Silverstone Ferrari had the fastest car, proved by the fact that Vettel couldn't match Alonso's pace after getting past Hamilton (and Vettel was obviously trying because he wrecked his tyres). So with this awesome car, Massa finishes 5th (which would have been 6th had Button not retired). He is nowhere near Alonso's level, so this leaves his role as a no.2 driver - but he can't even do that properly. A good No.2 driver will take points away from Alonso's title challengers and be good enough to pick up the pieces if the No.1 makes a mistake. So what good is he to Ferrari? I really like Massa but I can no longer back him as a Ferrari driver. The last time a driver completed a full season with Ferrari without scoring a podium was 1981. Massa is on the verge of ruining that. Is it worth bringing in Perez one year early, or maybe signing someone like Rosberg to a one year deal and then assessing him for 2013 against Perez? If Sutil is desperate, they could sign him to a cheap deal as a no.2 driver. Your thoughts?
I'd give him another season. I don't really see what perez offers (besides sponsorship money), Rosberg is crap, and Sutil is off to williams.
I have a soft-spot for Massa too; but his time is surely coming. He is rarely anything above 'untidy' and often rather clumsy. He's not really justifying a top seat any longer, except we should remember that internal politics at Ferrari will often prolong a weaker driver who fulfils their 'number two' requirements. And for the last reason, I expect him to remain at Ferrari one more year.
I agree with what's being said here. I have always been a huge Massa fan, but he is just not cutting it anymore. Apart from the odd flashes of brilliance (like out-qualifying Alonso a few times and putting in the odd fastest lap), I find some aspects parts of his racing absolutely baffling. As cosi says, internal politics will always affect racing performance especially when you're number two to a double world champion, but you know that when you sign, and surely that should give you more of an incentive to do well? Realistically, he's at Ferrari till 2013 but ideally, my opinion is they should let him go now. It would be too soon for Perez to take over, but why not sign someone like Alguersuari, if only for a short term contract, just to see how he gets on?
I would keep him on for another year at Ferrari. He winds up Hamilton, and that's worth keeping him in the car for, at least for 1 more season. Also there is a small chance he could turn it around, a very, very slim chance, but a chance none the less.
Replace him, it's been more and more wanted by Ferrari to do it everytime he ****s up in a podium contending car. Do the swap with Sauber already and hopefully Felipe will regain some form with less pressure put on him for once. He will also be unable to go up against the likes of Lewis for long periods which would be a bonus for both.
Hes had two years to get it right and he hasnt, just look at his ponts compared to Alonso 129 points difference! I would throw the Hulk or Di Resta in the car but thats just me.
Massa does not deserve to drive for Ferrari anymore, his drives over the last two years have been mainly lackluster. I would like to see Rosberg or Perez get his seat for next season.
Massa has been off the boil for a long time now, he's a good number 2 when it comes to taking orders but he should at least try to only be one or two places behind Alonso. Perez is the obvious choice to replace him right now, and has shown he has real potential. Whether or not Perez could take it at a team expecting regular podiums is yet to be answered, but you can't write him off before he's even had the chance.
Massa's head has gone completely. I think his confidence has been shot to pieces as Alonso has had the upper hand on him since day one when Massa though Ferrari cold be 'his' team but Alonso laid down his authority rigth at the start both on and off the track. His constant incidents with Hamiltonare too frequent just to be unlucky or a coincedence. I can't recall two drivers colliding so much in one season, and they have history before that too (Fuji 2008). Did the 2008 title events also have a big effect on him? Did he feel he was 'cheated' out of his title by the last corner incident at Brazil 08 when he thought he had it won? Does he resent Lewis for this and has done ever since, hence he will not give Lewis any room at all now? Just a few theories. Ferrari need to put him out to pasture. A Perez/Sauber swap may suit all parties.
As a Ferrai fan I really don't want Massa to give Lewis any room, as long as he's fair. Why should he? For along time Lewis's brilliant overtakes have been, "get out of my way or we both crash" Webber was the first one not move move over, now Massa has taken the same line. Good for both of them. If Lewis has any sense, he's take a little more care when coming up against both of these drivers. Massa has lost his speed this season, but I still think (or hope) he can get back to his best.
Any sympathy I had for Massa has gradually eroded over this season, and any respect gone after his anti-lewis protest to try to get the FIA to sanction him. Hamilton is careless, Massa is dirty, constantly trying to drive people off the circuit when they attempt to overtake him, which is why he has so many knocks, and has the temerity to try and stage a protest about one of the other drivers. Tosser. Plus I never really rated him anyway, far too inconsistent, how many times did he spin at Silverstone again? and you'd've thought breaking your suspension during practice would've taught him not to cut over the top of the orange kerbs, but no, he just desn't learn.
If all drivers took that attitude to each other then every overtake would result in an accident. When a corner is lost you have to give it up. Where it is close you should give the competitor enough room, but no more than enough. Hamilton/Webber showed at Korea how it could be done with both drivers given each other the respect and space deserved, but no more, and they didn't collide despite going at it for several fast corners so it can be done. Massa knew he was there, admitted it even, but still just turned straight into the apex.
I do not really want to get into this but Massa was ahead and had the racing line, why should he get out of the way?
I completely agree, any move which requires the other driver to get completely out of the way isn’t a good move. Tell me what you wanted Massa to do, there wasn’t much room on the outside of the corner, he would of have to drive off the road, and if I recall there was a barrier there. Hard and fair is great, leaving the other drive room, and giving respect is what we all want. From what I’ve seen of Lewis’s moves on Massa this season he has no respect for him, I really do think that Lewis expects Massa to jump out of his way.
What should Massa have done? well, he shouldn't have turned into a car he knew was there, doing so caused a collision, which is why he got a drive through. remeber Massa was only in front becaus ehe broke later on the outside, coming into the corner when Massa was looking Hamilton WAS alongside, so please explain why someone on the inside and alongside and going faster should cede the corner?
Hamilton at no point was alongside Massa, at most he was 3/4 up by him. Massa also did not turn into him, he was on the racing line and Hamilton had put his car where it should not of been. Quote from Martin Brundle:
Was rather like the Hamilton Vs Webber incident at Singapore in 2010. In that race the stewards ruled it a racing incident, but it had put Hamilton out of the race suggesting that they may have felt that was punishment enough. In that sense the stewards where consistent in giving the penalty to Massa, or at least had reasonable grounds for investigating him.
