I read something interesting earlier. This is the first season since joining Ferrari that Felipe Massa hasn't finished on the podium in a race throughout the season. He even managed it with the woeful F60 in 2009. This season has possibly been his worst season since his erratic rookie year in 2002. He's made countless mistakes, he's been rather off the pace, and rather unlike the Massa we know in the way he's conducted himself. The issues with Hamilton are far unlike him, it's common knowledge Felipe is a driver who usually takes a failure on the chin, and moves on, rather than gets into heated arguments So this poses the question, what should he do when ferrari drop him, at the end of next season, barring a miracle? I think he should retire from F1, Ferrari have destroyed him, his stock has fallen hugely, and he'll probably never get a drive with a top team again. It would be a shame to see him slugging it out in the midfield. Coversly though, a midfield team would install him as undisputed number 1, allowing him to perhaps regain some confidence. This season he's been consistently 0.5+ seconds off Alonso on rough pace, which is odd. I'd say Alonso is maybe 2 tenths quicker than the real Massa. Whats your take? Should he retire after next year, or should he take a midfield drive in 2013. It's pretty obvious he won't be allowed to challenge for the title next year if the car is good.
Yes, he should. He's not even a good no.2 A good no.2 takes points off rivals to help the no.1 driver Massa doesn't even do that If Ferrari get a good car next year, Felipe will be at least 50 points behind the front runners Get Perez in, at least he will be a good no.2 to Alonso
He should get out of Ferrari as soon as possible. Every race he drives for them now his career spirals a little bit further. Maybe taking a drive at Force India/Williams could arrest that, but it depends on 2012. He seems to really want to stay and i just wonder if when he is finally given the boot, will any serious team actually want him?
He's 30 now isn't he? 31 by the time his Ferrari contract expires. With the amount of talented rookies coming through at the moment, it wouldn't surprise me if he fails to get a seat. Maybe if the Raikkonen deal doesn't come off at Williams, they might consider him when Barichello retires? I think most other teams have drivers waiting in the wings or a settled line-up, so I can't see too many options, maybe a swap with Perez?
i really do feel sorry for Felipe! He was just getting the 2008 self back when Ferrari cruelly made him move over in Hockenheim. They have bascially killed his spirit which is a great shame. If I were Felipe I would get out of Ferrari as soon as possible and get a drive elsewhere where he will be treated better. Plus he has had the hinderence this year of Lewis crashing into him every second race!
He's a good driver, you don't challenge for a world title (and briefly win it) in an inferior car by being a bad driver. Ferrari destroyed his confidence in germany last year, since then, he has to have known he's the de-facto number 2. If next years car is good, i'd like to see him win at least 1 race, but i'd assume ferrari have other ideas...
He'd probably be a decent midfield signing, and he can develop a car, but it's a shame seeing a formerly top driver fall down the order. Look at Damon Hill's final season, it wasn't a fitting end to a good career.
Dark day for Brazilian drivers in this era. Massa for Perez, 15th to 8th place while having the flu must surely proove his worth for the next step...
It was a decent drive, but he got lucky with the safety car, and Sauber ruined Kobayashi's race by running him on the same tyres for too long, and he went backwards, getting perez some points.
Massa needs to be shwon the door at Ferrari. He's had two full seasons to show he is fully recovered from his accident, but clearly something is up. If Ferrari want to challenge for titles, they need someone who can get closer to Alonso's pace to either push Alonso along a bit, or give him good back-up and bring in better results for Ferrari.
Massa is a broken man since the arrival of Alonso. He's had to play second fiddle and drive a car designed for Alonso, so unless he thinks he's better than Alonso he should get out and go to a team that can at least fight for points where he can maybe get a better reputation again.
Alonso is better than Massa but it isn't by this much. Ferrari's car is crap but if Alonso can score 8 podiums with it, I would expect the other Ferrari driver to have at least couple of podium finishes. Massa's best result is 5th. Massa is lucky Kubica had his accident, otherwise I'm pretty sure Ferrari would have taken up that option on Kubica for 2012. Perez would be the ideal replacement for Massa. I think Massa needs to go to a midfield team, a fresh start. This sort of environment would be the perfect place for Massa to rebuild his confidence and impress the big teams. I agree with you about Kobayashi's race being ruined but Perez didn't get lucky with the safety car: Perez stayed out when the safety car came out because he had pitted a few laps earlier. The others in front of him were on old tyres and were close to making their second pit stop (the leaders had already pitted).
Sooner he gets Alonso as an experienced driver to learn from, the sooner you get another young gun to challenge Seb and Lewis in the future. I'm a fan of Perez, was before his entry race in F1, the kids the next Vettel I'm sure of it...
I think it should be over for Felipe, as someone said, he's not doing what a number 2 should do, although he's been closer to his team-mate and battled him more times than the no. 2 at RBR has Vettel, and actually follows team orders when directed, but no one mentions that. How many times has Massa had to come in the pits because of a puncture or a damaged car, caused by someone else (Hamilton, Webber, etc). Unfortunatley he's not in Alonso's league, he's not the worst driver out there though, plenty of other candidates for that title. Thing is though, he's not the best either, never has been. I'd say he lost the 2008 title while in the best car, has always been hot and cold driver prone to mistakes, so I don't think it has anything to do with his accident. Ferrari will give him another season though I think, and see how he goes
He is a good driver no doubt, but Alonso has overshadowed him in 2010 and now in 2011, two options... A fresh start in a new-ish team (maybe with Kovalainen). Or quit completely(take a break) if you will.
Considering he's had three previous seasons with Sauber, and the fact that Peter Sauber was the man that took a punt and got him into F1, this could be a possibility. Although, I do feel he should have scored at least one podium this year, the Ferrari may be slow, but not that slow.
He has a Ferrari seat for 2012, but having unquestionably lost the mental battle to Alonso, I don't see what good will come of him staying there. Heikki Kovalainen was a promising rookie, and look what two years of getting creamed did for his career. Massa's previous exploits should mean that his career is not over yet, but another year like this one and surely the best he can hope for is the 2013 equivalent of Lotus?
This won't have anything to do with his confidence. He's well used to playing second fiddle to Schumacher and Raikkonnen as well, I think he's just too old now. He's a great bloke, and should have won it in 2008, but there you go. Unfortunately, the plucky underdog usually doesn't win.
