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Massa was brilliant in Brazil, I don't know which of the drivers now in the field would have done the same. The start was fantastic, I was clapping my hands like an idiot in front of the TV when I saw that. Then he let Alonso pass and squeezed himself between Alonso and Webber to let Fernando get away. It was like a dance to my eyes how he was covering the whole track not letting Webber pass and he was in the rules - no more than one move but briliantly covering all the possible lines and thinking ahead where he was going.
Massa is a good guy, both on and off track, you can see that by the way he talks and how he is not afraid to show his emotions. Unfortunately he went in this "2nd driver spiral" that is at Ferrari and I am sad too see that. Massa deserves a WDC and the only way I can see that happen now is by outqualifying Alonso next year in the first races and getting better results than him to show that he is in the game.
"...and there, very much in flames, is Jacques Laffite's Ligier. That's obviously a turbo blaze, and of course, Laffite will be able to see that conflagration in his mirrors... he is coolly parking the car somewhere safe."Murray Walker, San Marino 1985
ParanoiD wrote:What if he is neck-to-neck with Alonso?
Theoretically, Massa can even be better Alonso. But I guess Ferrari and Alonso will use their political might to ensure he remains #2.
I believe so.
From what i could see from the early races of 2010 and 2011, they treated the drivers very equally at the start of the season. This was most evident on China 2011.
Of course being a Brazillian and knowing that circuit like your backyard helps.
stefan_ wrote:Massa is a good guy, both on and off track, you can see that by the way he talks and how he is not afraid to show his emotions. Unfortunately he went in this "2nd driver spiral" that is at Ferrari and I am sad too see that. Massa deserves a WDC and the only way I can see that happen now is by outqualifying Alonso next year in the first races and getting better results than him to show that he is in the game.
Massa has to be on top of the game the whole year and Alonso needs to face some bad luck for it to happen. I love Massa and would like see he winning races and WDC, but there's difference between Alonso and Raikkonen, so chances for the repeat of 2008 are slim.
The thing with the nr2 status is it´s not really something Ferrari chooses, it´s the drivers choosing it upon themselves through their own performances on track.
Like at the beginning, Massa struggling, Ferrari sees that and focus everything on Alonso.
If Massa comes out next year and starts beating Alonso consistently, Ferrari won´t care much about Alonso that year.
They go by the "your only as good as your last race" and doesn´t really care who of the two is leading the pack, they just care about it being a Ferrari.
I think and hope he will come out guns blazing next year. Hopefully he stays around for 2014, perhaps in another team, i want to see how he copes with less downforce and the new engines.
"Il Phenomeno" - The one they fear the most!
"2% of the world's population own 50% of the world's wealth."
Will he be able to do that though, that's a big doubt in my mind. His driving has been exceptional at the end of this year however I think that is because he knows 1-I've got a contract for next year, 2-he was never in the championship hunt... so he was racing without any pressure.
I really hope he can translate that into performance next year, I'm just not sure he can though.
If they build a proper front running car. A car that is a fundamentally good base and that starts off by having pace out of the factory then i can´t see him not being up there.
He´s got a much narrower operating window then Alonso so i think as long as the car is fundamentally good out of the box, i think he will do fine.
Probably beating Alonso in Qualifying as that is where Massa is exceptional when the car is right for him.
Edit: +1 below, good point.
Last edited by Nando on 30 Nov 2012, 12:44, edited 1 time in total.
"Il Phenomeno" - The one they fear the most!
"2% of the world's population own 50% of the world's wealth."
The big question would be whether the car that is good for Massa is good for Alonso? And which of the two would ultimately be fastest given the car that is exactly how he wants it?
