Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
The video you posted in no way supports your claim.
Senna made contact and unsettled Massa's Ferrari, which is inherently on the knife edge of adhesion, at which point Isaac Newton took over, and they both ended up off-track.
I would have thought that Senna have more tendency to run wide if he looses traction. In other words, moving towards his right and away from Massa due to the G-load.
On the other hand, if Massa looses traction, he would run into Senna. Which is what happened. So that means Massa ran into Senna or Massa crash into Senna
bhallg2k wrote:Senna made contact and unsettled Massa's Ferrari, which is inherently on the knife edge of adhesion, at which point Isaac Newton took over, and they both ended up off-track.
I call BS. The diminutive stayed MAS the whole time. Never once did it become NEW
Yes, through no fault of his own, which is hardly reason enough to replace him.
There are plenty of other reasons for that.
Massa carried too much speed into the corner for the line he needed to take to avoid Senna, in a red mist moment, and ended up driving into the side of him. I've not seen any video evidence that there was contact before Massa understeered into Senna. Happy to be proven wrong.
@bhallaq2k - all that proves is that at the point of contact Senna was ahead, Senna was also following the racing line, that they were past the apex, and that because of that Massa had room to move further to the left but couldn't because he was carrying too much speed.
We'll need video from another angle to be sure. I'm happy to have it proven that Massa is in the clear, but from the way he had all four wheels off the track whilst pushing into the side of Senna it's going to take some clear cut evidence to prove that Massa couldn't have done anything differently or that Senna was equally to blame.
Senna made contact with Massa at the apex, and it wasn't really that much contact, either. At any rate, you'll see it in the video. It was only then that Massa's Ferrari began to drift.
I can't seem to get the video to pause exactly where I want it to so that I can fetch a screen grab. I assure you it's there.
For Massa, I wouldn't say it's just the 2009 crash which changed him. He's had consistent 'setbacks' in his career in F1.
1) Thinking he'd won the title in 2008, winning his Home GP, everyone is screaming, only for Hamilton to overtake Glock on the last lap and win the title. That must have been soul destroying on its own.
2) Ferrari delivering a horrible car for 2009. Even before the crash, he wasn't really doing well except for a podium.
3) The crash
4) His form slightly picked up in the early part of 2010. He was even leading the championship at one of the early stages. But I guess eventually Alonso took over the team and through attrition of it all, his performances started to dwindle..
5) Arguably the final blow. Being asked to move over for Alonso in the 2010 German GP.
Frankly I don't think Massa's enjoying it any more, and when you're heart's not in it you're never going to perform at your peak. He's not the most accurate driver on the grid (I remember a quote by Brundle that watch Massa go through a corner 5 times and you'll see him take 5 different lines) so needs a forgiving and stable car that he can rely upon in order to carry speed through each corner. His driving style just hasn't suited the Pirelli tyres, they reward smooth and consistent driving, and the Ferrari's he's been given have all had handling flaws.
