Felipe Massa remained tight-lipped on his chances of staying at Ferrari during the Japanese Grand Prix press conference.
He said nothing had been decided yet “but I’m pretty confident things will be OK.”
Asked whether Sergio Perez’s move to McLaren improved his chances of staying at Ferrari Massa said: “Maybe. I don’t know.
“As I said I’m pretty confident things are going in the right direction. Also Sergio is doing a good job this year so I think he was showing his performance and I’m happy that he can sign for a big team as well.
“But anyway I’ll just concentrate on doing the best and that the way it is.”
Massa repeated he was not being distracted by
“Let’s concentrate to have a good result, you know, and then we will see. As I said things are not signed so it’s better to not talking so much and concentrate on the job and that’s the right direction. I hope we can have a good race here, and good race in Korea, and a good end of the championship. That’s very important for me, for the team, for everybody.
2012 Japanese Grand Prix
Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
Eggry (@eggry)
4th October 2012, 8:52
Mclaren was confident for Hamilton either…
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th October 2012, 8:54
I’m sure Massa will continue to be confident about having a future with Ferrari right up until the moment they let him go.
thejudge13 (@thejudge13)
4th October 2012, 12:38
Too right!
Maybe it will depend on how sucessful his team mate is this year. Montezelomo says,
“Fernando should win the world title and then we will certainly not put anyone alongside him who would bother him.”
Todfod (@todfod)
4th October 2012, 15:09
So if Fernando wins the championship Massa stays???
It kind of makes sense though.. if Fernando can win a WDC with a poor number 2 driver in a relatively poor car, then Ferrari management shouldn’t have a problem with any of Fernando’s teammate preferences.
dot_com (@dot_com)
4th October 2012, 20:10
Surely they want to win the Constructors too, at some point? You need two decent drivers to do that…
Chris (@tophercheese21)
4th October 2012, 9:17
Honestly, i can’t see any reason for Felipe to be dropped. He’s pretty much the perfect compliment to Fernando. He’s never going to take any points away from Fernando, and as long as Ferrari have a good car, he’ll be in the points. Which is also why Fernando is being all cotton-woolly to Felipe, saying that he doesnt think anyone could do a better job, when in actual fact, many people could, it’s just Fernando wants complete control of Ferrari.
And right now, he has that. So why change it?
kosmic164 (@kosmic164)
4th October 2012, 10:36
probably because he fails to score points too often and costs the team millions of dollars of FOM money
Chris (@tophercheese21)
4th October 2012, 11:52
That’s only because this years Ferrari has been, for the most part, a complete dog. Notice how he’s been in the points quite a few times in correlation with the improvement of the car.
He just looks bad next to Fernando, because Fernando is pretty much not human.
matt90 (@matt90)
4th October 2012, 14:20
I think that’s nonsense. For the first few races I would disagree, but those first few races do not make up the majority of the season.
George (@george)
4th October 2012, 18:34
His teammate is leading the driver’s championship by 29 points, but the team are losing the constructor’s championship by 53. Something doesn’t add up there, and that something is Massa.
Timothy Katz (@timothykatz)
4th October 2012, 19:23
Pithy. And correct.
Oblong_Cheese (@oblong_cheese)
4th October 2012, 9:23
Now that Schumi’s retiring, Massa can breathe a sigh of relief…
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
4th October 2012, 9:57
@oblong_cheese – Why?
I don’t think there was ever anything serious connecting Schumacher to Ferrari except for sentimentality from the fans.
Antonio Nartea (@tony031r)
4th October 2012, 11:34
I actually think Massa should be scared by the likes of Kovalainen, Hulkenberg or Di Resta now… Schumi was never an option for Ferrari but these guys are.
Massa doesn’t have a contract yet and he probably won’t have one until it’s clear whether Alonso is world champion or not. I’d say the brazilian is hanging by a thin thread now. He manages to have decent 4th or 5th place classification for the remainder of the season and Fernando wins the WDC – he stays. He has a couple of bad races again or Fernando loses the championship – he’s gone. I think that’s how Montezemolo sees it.
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
5th October 2012, 1:57
@prisoner-monkeys
@oblong_cheese comments does make sense..with Schumi retiring, there is a vacancy at Sauber. Until earlier this, it looked like Schumi was on his way to Hinwil. I’d like to predict that Massa will be at Sauber next year if he remains in the sport.
I’d also like to believe there may be some truth in the murmurings from the rumour mill about Hulk heading to Ferrari. It would make sense. He is managed by Willi Weber, who has a good relationship with Ferrari and LDM. I would like to see Hulk a Ferrari, it would be his big chance to really prove his worth.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
5th October 2012, 3:23
@jaymenon10
I don’t think there was ever anything solid connecting Schumacher to Sauber, except for the team’s admission that they would love to have him if they could. If Perez had not (yet) moved to McLaren, most people wouldn’t even bring up the idea of Schumacher going there.
I’d like to predict that Massa will be at Sauber next year if he remains in the sport.
Why? Why on earth would Sauber take one of the most under-performing drivers on the grid off the back of their most successful season ever? It makes absolutely no sense. Sure, Ferrari might hold the ability to influence Sauber’s line-up, but if they do, then they’re going to push for Jules Bianchi to join the team, not Felipe Massa.
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
5th October 2012, 4:04
@prisoner-monkeys
Why not? You argue a good case that he has been under performing, but his recent performances suggest he is on the upward trend. Massa is made to look bad in the Ferrari for obvious reasons. I suggested this move Sauber because I think it would be a fresh new start for him. He is familiar with the team, and he shares a good relationship with Peter Sauber. I think Massa still has pace in him.
Massa is a very different kind of driver, a bit of the emotional type. You almost feel that he needs very strong mental support in order to perform well. He was getting this at Ferrari until Alonso came along showed everyone who’s boss. Massa just doesnt have that domineering persona to compete with a guy like Alonso.
Sauber is a smaller organization, they seem to be one of the most likeable teams on the grid. Peter Sauber runs a good company with a very family-like enviroment. If the take Massa on, coupled with the fact that they will be able to afford Massa the mental support, I feel he would do well. You cannot take away the fact that he has been in Formula one for a good part of a decade now, the experience counts for something as this is an area that the current Sauber line up lack. His insgight on car development, race startegies and so an so forth is definitely valuable.
I would hand a one year contract to start with, including an option to extend.
Just my opinion…
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
5th October 2012, 4:08
Because there are younger, faster drivers out there. Massa might be discovering a resurgence in form over the past few races, but it is too little, too late.
TheManyHamiltons
4th October 2012, 9:24
The camera crew was amazed to capture a rare moment on tape – A small teeny weeny baby hippo shooing away a croc!!! i.e until they panned to see the enormous momma hippo standing a few feet behind. Now, which croc in its right mind(btw, a croc’s brain is what’s really teeny weeny) would want to mess with a powerful hippo? No wonder the baby hippo had his way.
what has this got to do with F1??? Hint-Jean Todt is the enormous(haha…not in size, but in power) momma(or is it, pappa!)hippo.
So, no wonder again, that Massa is let to stay in Ferrari as long as he is managed by the baby hippo….right, eh?
Mike (@mike)
4th October 2012, 15:19
What are you talking about?!?
Joe Papp (@joepa)
4th October 2012, 19:01
Brilliant allegory! ;)
He’s talking about the fact that Massa is managed by Jean Todt’s son, but it’s really “momma” Todt’s influence that will keep Massa at Ferrari, and not the ferocious scowl of baby “Nicolas” Todt.
Massa could’ve done worse when it came time to choose a manager!
TheManyHamiltons
4th October 2012, 21:09
Delighted! :-)
TheManyHamiltons
4th October 2012, 21:22
rofl … apt description! hahaha!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
5th October 2012, 4:25
And none of that explains why Jean Todt would want to keep Massa at Ferrari before any other driver.
reyut
5th October 2012, 6:59
Duh! because his SON stands to lose his millions if his managed driver – felipe – is shown the door by ferrari. Sonny asks Papa, papa influences ferrari, ferrari want todt’s blessings, so ferrari persist with felipe as long as he does not kick di montez down under!
Eric Morman (@lethalnz)
4th October 2012, 14:06
Fernando can drive any car into a points situation, sadly that is not the case with Massa.
and why would you drive the hell out of a car when your not aloud to win if your team mate is behind you?
for Massa its all about money now and hold a job,
when he was aloud to win he drove like a demon, but now the rules at Ferrari have changed and so has Massa.
he will be with Ferrari next year,
contract might state no constructors championship no bonus.
Gibbering Loon
4th October 2012, 16:59
The contract will state: ‘If you win a race and make Fernando jealous, you will be sacked’
Massa has become Alonso’s stooge; his sole purpose is to make the big man feel even bigger. The tragedy is that Ferrari are so in thrall to Alonso’s ego, so afraid of puncturing the balloon that is his fragile self-regard, that they will never win the constructors, because they are afraid to hire a competitive second driver.
crazy.mechanic (@akshay)
4th October 2012, 18:59
Honestly, there is no one to challenge his role in the team as a clown! Dead competition!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
4th October 2012, 22:15
Wow…he doesn’t exactly ooze confidence, does he? That said, it seems to be more about what suits Ferrari and that’s not necessarily having the two best drivers behind the wheel.
Postreader
4th October 2012, 23:26
A last year on Ferrari before they bring in teh Fettel.
John H (@john-h)
5th October 2012, 16:23
Massa is the only driver that’s hired because he is slow. Welcome to F1.