Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Hockenheimring, 2012

Ferrari retain Massa for 2013

2013 F1 season

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Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Hockenheimring, 2012Felipe Massa will remain at Ferrari in 2013, the team has confirmed.

A statement released by the team on Tuesday said: “Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has renewed its contract with the driver Felipe Massa to the end of the 2013 race season.”

“The Scuderia?s driver line-up for next year is therefore made up of Fernando Alonso and the aforementioned Felipe Massa.”

Massa said he is “very happy to have reached this agreement”.

“Ferrari is my racing family and throughout my entire time in Formula 1, I have always driven cars powered by engines built in Maranello: I can?t see myself driving cars propelled by anything else!

“First and foremost, I want to thank president Montezemolo and [team principal] Stefano Domenicali, who had faith in me and who have always supported me, even at the most difficult moments. The team and also all the fans can rest assured that I will do all in my power to help the Scuderia reach the targets it sets itself each year.”

Domenicali said: “He has been part of our family for over a decade and has shown, especially in this recent part of the season, that he is once again competitive at the highest level, which is what is expected of every driver who gets behind the wheel of a Ferrari.

“We have always supported Felipe, even in the most difficult moments of his career and we are certain of his worth and are sure he will know how to repay the confidence this renewal proves we have in him.”

Yesterday Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo denied claims Sebastian Vettel would join the team in 2014, saying: “I don?t want to have two roosters in the same henhouse.”

“I am so happy to continue another year with Felipe Massa as a team mate!” Alonso wrote on Twitter. “I?m sure we are the best team!”

“After eight different team mates Felipe staying is another example of what I always say: do not believe anything you read unless it?s official,” he continued.

Ferrari’s statement added: “Now that Massa?s situation has been cleared up, maybe speculation surrounding Ferrari drivers will calm down for a few days, but that?s probably a vain hope: the rumour mill works round the clock, manned by people who, having said one thing and then the complete opposite, can congratulate themselves on having got it just right.

“Indeed, this was one of the reasons that pushed Montezemolo and Massa to decide on announcing the renewal today, to put an end to all the speculation.”

Massa will remain with Ferrari for an eighth season. He joined them from Sauber in 2006 to partner Michael Schumacher.

In 2008 Massa finished runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ championship, winning six races.

But he missed half of the season in 2009 after suffering head injuries during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. He has not won a race since returning in 2010, when Alonso joined Ferrari as his team mate.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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172 comments on “Ferrari retain Massa for 2013”

  1. Profile Photo

    Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
    16th October 2012, 15:05

    Considering his form in recent races, Felipe was Ferrari’s only option.

    And even before that. I mean, they obviously want a driver to fill the 2 cars requierement, they don’t want another contender. Otherwise, they’d have got someone else.

    1. Ogurka
      16th October 2012, 16:34

      “We have always supported Felipe, even in the most difficult moments of his career and we are certain of his worth and are sure he will know how to repay the confidence this renewal proves we have in him.”

      Uh-Oh watch out Felipe Baby, payback is a bitch!

      1. Profile Photo

        Joe Papp (@joepa)
        17th October 2012, 0:49

        I don’t know massa personally, but perhaps the motivational trigger for him is just this kind of publicly-stated expectation, but delivered with an expression of confidence and reaffirmation of his value to the team.

      2. F1 Fun-Attic
        17th October 2012, 2:35

        payback is a bitch

        Yep! And a living example is just a local call(barrichello/brazilian) away! ;-p

    2. Profile Photo

      infy (@infy)
      17th October 2012, 9:17

      Well Ferrari just told Massa that all he needs to do each year to retain his seat is do well in 2 races towards the end of the year. Screw the big picture.

      1. Profile Photo

        OEL F1 (@oel-f1)
        17th October 2012, 13:11

        Who’s the driver with the second most points from the last 5 races?

  2. Profile Photo

    Force Maikel (@force-maikel)
    16th October 2012, 15:10

    I’ve got nothing against Felipe but his time has come. I feel like having that seat open could have made silly season so much more interesting

    1. Profile Photo

      Pamphlet (@pamphlet)
      16th October 2012, 15:25

      If his last 6 performances are any indication (hell, we can start from Bahrain if Alonso is to be trusted) then no, his time most certainly hasn’t come.

      1. Profile Photo

        Force Maikel (@force-maikel)
        16th October 2012, 20:34

        @pamphlet Again I’ve got nothing against Felipe but compared to Alonso he’s been driving like a damp rag. Yes, there is an upward curve in his recent performance but that change the fact it took him a long time to escape the midfield. Ferrari need a driver that is capabel of getting the points necessary for the constructors and Felipe is not that man anymore. He’ll have to prove he worth that contract next year as it’s probably going to be his last chance

        1. Profile Photo

          Pamphlet (@pamphlet)
          16th October 2012, 21:40

          You’re giving Alonso way too much credit.

          compared to Alonso he’s been driving like a damp rag.

          Uh, hello, he’s been faster than Alonso lately. That makes the Spaniard look even worse than a “damp rag”.

          that change the fact it took him a long time to escape the midfield

          He’s one of the least lucky drivers on the grid this year. He was arguably near the top of the rankings last year as well, what with Hamilton constantly hitting him and all.

          The points tally does not reflect their difference in prowess. Not this year, at least. Just look at Schumacher and Rosberg for a similar comparison.

          Ferrari need a driver that is capabel of getting the points necessary for the constructors

          Ferrari value the drivers’ championship much higher than the constructors’. Remember 2008? And Montezemolo’s recent “rooster” comments where he specifically omitted the MAS-RAI lineup? Put 2 and 2 together. They’re more than willing to take a huge hit to their collective points tally as long as one of their drivers gets a better shot at the title. And it’s working wonders for them right now.

          1. Profile Photo

            John H (@john-h)
            16th October 2012, 23:00

            Massa would have been hired regardless of his last few races. Ferrari and Alonso know he can be walked over and he doesn’t seem to care.

            In my opinon, if Massa was championship material he would have told Ferrari where to stick it after his ‘magnanimous’ driving last year. He is the new Rubens Barrichello, loving the comfort of driving for Ferrari but at the cost of his reputation which is now cemented.

            It’s just my opinon, but Ferrari hiring Massa because he won’t trouble Alonso is probably worst for Felipe himself.

  3. RedX
    16th October 2012, 15:10

    Alonso will be very happy.

    1. Profile Photo

      Poul Winther (@poul)
      16th October 2012, 17:41

      My thought indeed. Seems like it was Alonso’s choice just like it was clearly his choice not to let Massa race for position which could potentially have brought Alonso ahead of Webber.

  4. Profile Photo

    f1alex (@f1alex)
    16th October 2012, 15:12

    No real surprise, but I’m actually quite happy for him. Hopefully he can continue in the direction he’s been going in in recent races into next year and show that he does deserve that seat on his own merit and not just as Fernando’s helper.

    1. F1 Fun-Attic
      17th October 2012, 2:41

      @f1alex,

      I’m actually quite happy for him

      Really? I hope you’d reconsider that. Does he really deserve the seat more than Koba, Kova or Hulk???

      Anyway, Massa was always going to retain the seat under ‘ordinary conditions’, given that he is managed by the FIA chief’s son…unless of course, he had done a Grosjean or a Maldonado!

      1. Profile Photo

        f1alex (@f1alex)
        17th October 2012, 15:08

        I never said he deserves it more or less than anyone else, because there are other drivers I would also like to see in that seat. What I was saying is that I’m happy to see him stay in F1 and keep his Ferrari seat because I want to see what he can do next year.

        At no point did I mention whether he deserves it or not, because I don’t really think he does (well he wouldn’t if the team wasn’t Ferrari, as they only want one “rooster” in their team anyway), but that doesn’t stop me feeling pleased for him.

  5. Profile Photo

    Maksutov (@maksutov)
    16th October 2012, 15:13

    One word: Boring

    1. Profile Photo

      dot_com (@dot_com)
      16th October 2012, 18:50

      +1

    2. Profile Photo

      Andrei (@andrei)
      16th October 2012, 19:53

      +1

    3. Profile Photo

      Wesley (@)
      16th October 2012, 23:39

      +1….Massa is the “Ringo” of Formula 1 :)

  6. Profile Photo

    Ben (@benchuiii)
    16th October 2012, 15:14

    Who would have thought that halfway through the year! Hopefully he can continue his recent form and start next year without encountering the same problems.

  7. Profile Photo

    tyresmoke (@tyresmoke)
    16th October 2012, 15:21

    I think he’s entering his 8th season in 2013.

    1. Profile Photo

      GeeMac (@geemac)
      16th October 2012, 15:32

      Correct.

  8. Profile Photo

    OmarR-Pepper (@)
    16th October 2012, 15:24

    “I don’t want to have two roosters in the same henhouse.”

    Well, now Luca has all set up: He has confirmed he has a rooster and a hen

    1. Profile Photo

      Estesark (@estesark)
      16th October 2012, 15:34

      Which is appropriate, because Massa is going to keep getting screwed by Alonso.

      Sorry, couldn’t resist!

      1. Maverick232
        16th October 2012, 15:48

        Haha, brilliant!

      2. Profile Photo

        verstappen (@verstappen)
        16th October 2012, 22:37

        Someone’s cloaca is gonna hurt again

      3. F1 Fun-Attic
        17th October 2012, 2:46

        @estesark

        .. Massa is going to keep getting screwed by Alonso.

        unless alonso stays happy(read “gay”)!, which is maybe why Monty does not *want* two roosters in the first place.
        No offense intended towards ‘happy’ people!

    2. Profile Photo

      Poul Winther (@poul)
      16th October 2012, 17:42

      I think you mean a rooster and chicken….

    3. Profile Photo

      nidzovski (@nidzovski)
      16th October 2012, 18:50

      Yeah. Luca just showed how great of a family Ferrari really is. I guess that his children will be also wondering who is the rooster. The most stupid comment of the year!

      1. Profile Photo

        nidzovski (@nidzovski)
        16th October 2012, 18:53

        In the heat I forgot to write that Luca is the winner of the most stupid comment :)

        1. Profile Photo

          Palle (@palle)
          16th October 2012, 22:57

          We have long understood that Montezemolo was thinking something along those lines, but saying it public, huh.
          But I’m happy – expecting Massa to decline to his usual form and the competition will be better of and happy too.

        2. Profile Photo

          Mike (@mike)
          16th October 2012, 23:42

          I think with Luca that’s a given -.-

  9. Profile Photo

    KeeleyObsessed (@keeleyobsessed)
    16th October 2012, 15:27

    I do think that this is a bit of a non-story.. Massa has shown in the last few races that he still has that pace that Ferrari need, even if it has taken him a few years to get back ‘into the groove’. I hope he can continue, although it’s sad to note that unless something drastic happens in 2013 to Alonso, he won’t be fighting for the championship realistically.

    1. Profile Photo

      Pamphlet (@pamphlet)
      16th October 2012, 15:31

      Didn’t we say that about him in 2008? If he’s fast enough in the first few races don’t be surprised if he actually pushes Alonso for the title of #1 driver for once.

      Of course, I don’t expect Ferrari to let that happen, but we’ve seen more shocking things happen in the sport.

      1. stirper
        16th October 2012, 17:25

        It’s different in 2007 Raikkonen never had the edge over Massa. Massa was unlucky in Monza when he was faster then Rai, in front of him in the race and in front in points…but then the engine is gone….in two of the 3 remain races Massa was in front but he let Rai pass for the championship. I wasn’t surprised in 2008 with Massa performance.
        Now is completely different Alonso & Massa had 3 years of workgroup. Alonso has beaten Massa in any sens:
        Much faster
        Reliable
        more strategic
        Team leader
        man image for ferrari

        I have a lot of respect for Massa and as a ferrari fan i love him, but the numbers speak clearly

      2. Kimi4WDC
        17th October 2012, 1:22

        It’s interesting if Alonso have poor first 5 races due to various reasons and Massa is on podium every single time, what will they do? Will Santander allow Ferrari to pull a 2008?

        1. Profile Photo

          Todfod (@todfod)
          17th October 2012, 6:04

          It’s interesting if Alonso have poor first 5 races due to various reasons and Massa is on podium every single time

          That sounds similar to 2010. Alonso made a lot of mistakes at the start of the season, but come halfway point in the season he was already leading his teammate.

    2. Profile Photo

      Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      16th October 2012, 15:48

      @keeleyobsessed

      I do think that this is a bit of a non-story.

      It’s just been officially confirmed for the first time so not doing a story on it is not an option.

      1. Profile Photo

        John H (@john-h)
        16th October 2012, 23:03

        It would be kind of funny if you didn’t do a story on a major event though, almost elevating it’s significance… a kind of F1fanatic John Cage moment if you will. :)

  10. Profile Photo

    GeeMac (@geemac)
    16th October 2012, 15:32

    As an aside: Who controls Ferrari’s PR? They come across in so many ways you have to wonder how they are run. This release is so incredibly and unnecessarily formal (“the aforementioned Felipe Massa”…***) and then they have their Horse Whisperer who rants and raves like a 13 year old schoolboy. Pick a style and stick to it! Be overly formal (like McLaren, Red Bull or Mercedes)or be very informal…don’t be both!

    1. Mr Lawl.
      16th October 2012, 16:45

      Heh I’ve noticed that too and always just figured the “official” statement is written in Italian, but quite often with words that are a bit odd (perhaps because a word or phrasing has no direct translation) or just generally sounds a bit out of place for the “speaker” so to err.. speak? heh

  11. Profile Photo

    Roald (@roald)
    16th October 2012, 15:35

    Not much left to be said, but I hope Massa can start next season with his current form and actually perform from the get-go!

    1. Profile Photo

      Todfod (@todfod)
      16th October 2012, 19:17

      To be honest I’m not expecting Massa to maintain this level of performance. At the start of next season he should be back to his Q2 exits and fighting Saubers for 9th and 10th place.

      I’m not entirely happy with Massa as the number 2 driver… would much rather have seen Hulkenberg or Sutil in that seat.

  12. Profile Photo

    electrolite (@electrolite)
    16th October 2012, 15:35

    If he did what he’s done in the last 5 races but for a whole season, he’d be 2nd in the championship.

    Lets hope it stays that way, although I can see the same happening next season – the car is developed purely with Alonso in mind, and by the time the car is good enough for both drivers to finish well, he’ll already be 100 points behind Fernando. Hope I’m proved wrong though.

    1. Profile Photo

      Joe Papp (@joepa)
      16th October 2012, 23:12

      Would be interesting to note from a sports-psychology perspective when Massa became confident of being re-signed (really, like when did he know it would happen) and did that knowledge exert any positive influence on his competitiveness? And if so, too bad Ferrari didn’t re-sign him sooner if that was what was going to happen!

      1. DD42
        17th October 2012, 2:05

        That’s an interesting point..

        If Ferrari had signed Massa just before he did a great job with his podium at Suzuka, then they should look to sign him on a race by race basis, before each race. Maybe a happy Felipe is one of the best drivers in the world whereas if Massa’s disheartened, he’s a second a lap away from the best?!

    2. Profile Photo

      Fixy (@)
      20th October 2012, 22:48

      If he did what he’s done in the last 5 races but for a whole season, he’d be 2nd in the championship.

      And that’s why they’re keeping him. Sounds strange said about someone with Massa’s experience, but he is a promosing driver.
      While in 2011 he was consistently under-performing, this season he has had either awful or awesome (compared to 2010 and 2011) races. Silverstone finally gave him his best result in one-and-a-half years, at Monza he was ahead of Alonso whom he let through with team orders, in Singapore he had an amazing race to recover from last and nearly lapped to finish 8th including a breath-taking overtake on Senna, in Japan he was perfect and scored a podium and in Korea he was forced to slow down as he was much quicker than Alonso (again, team orders). If Ferrari need team orders to keep Alonso in front, Massa may not be so slow after all.
      It’s somehow sad though that his 11 wins are all included in the three seasons between 2006 and 2008, out of 10.
      And Massa is solidifying his position as Ferrari’s second-longest serving driver after Schumacher. He is not as likely to be remembered as a symbol of the Prancing Horse unfortunately.

  13. Profile Photo

    Osvaldas31 (@osvaldas31)
    16th October 2012, 15:44

    Ferrari don’t like the idea of having the best drivers on the grid. Mclaren wants to have best drivers on the grid, but they always make mistakes elsewhere, hence they haven’t won construcotrs’ title since 1999. So the most professional team is Red Bull, because they have best (or at least very good) drivers, they work professionally, they don’t look for excuses, they can quickly develop their car and they are professional ir all areas. No wonder they are winning all the titles.

    1. Profile Photo

      Jack_Hider (@jackhider)
      16th October 2012, 16:51

      It isn’t just the driver that wins the titles. The car in most part has something to do it too. Would Webber and Vettel be winning the constructors and driver titles the past two years if they were driving for HRT?

      1. d7v5
        16th October 2012, 18:06

        Sure, you can say that. But not to loose the point, let’s put for instance the racers winner over people, + cars and technology + funding & management. And Red Bull team is good in all aspects. Ferrari? Too much emotional. McLaren? Too proud. Red Bull? Professional.

      2. RAMBO
        16th October 2012, 18:07

        That works in both ways.. Would Karthikeyan and De la Rosa have won de championships in the Red Bull?

        1. Profile Photo

          Jack_Hider (@jackhider)
          16th October 2012, 18:33

          Well, I think that the Red Bull was so dominant that any driver pairing on the grid could have won the drivers and constructors championship.

          1. Profile Photo

            Jack_Hider (@jackhider)
            16th October 2012, 18:34

            …dominant ‘last year’ that any…

            Sorry, I made a mistake.

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            JerseyF1 (@jerseyf1)
            16th October 2012, 19:10

            The fact that Webber was only third in the WDC in the same car and barely ahead of Alonso would suggest not.

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            David-A (@david-a)
            16th October 2012, 20:04

            @jackhider – Nonsense. Webber finished behind Button, and 1 point in front of Alonso. Since when, in over 60 years, has a Karthikeyan-like driver won the championship?

          4. Profile Photo

            Jack_Hider (@jackhider)
            16th October 2012, 20:25

            Am I right that although Webber might have not won the Drivers title, he did help win the Constructors title and Vettel did in fact win the Drivers title? We are talking about driver pairings here and not one single driver winning only just the Drivers title.

            Anyway, what do you class as a ‘Karthikeyan-like’ driver anyway? Surely there is only one type of driver like him and that being the real Karthikeyan?

          5. Profile Photo

            Jack_Hider (@jackhider)
            16th October 2012, 20:27

            And although the car might’ve not seem as dominant as cars have been in past years (Schumacher era) but it was still a dominant car for that season, a dominance that hadn’t been seen since the beginning of 2009.

          6. Profile Photo

            David-A (@david-a)
            16th October 2012, 20:34

            Am I right that although Webber might have not won the Drivers title, he did help win the Constructors title and Vettel did in fact win the Drivers title?

            Yes, and not every driver is as good as Vettel at using whatever car he has to devastating effect, or even Webber, with his flashy performances for the mighty Minardi/Jaguar/Williams. Not “any driver pairing” would have won the titles, let alone as clearly as the RBR pair did.

            Anyway, what do you class as a ‘Karthikeyan-like’ driver anyway? Surely there is only one type of driver like him and that being the real Karthikeyan?

            I.e. one considered, for whatever reason, to be the worst on their respective grid. Has such a driver not just driven a good car, but won the world championship?

          7. Profile Photo

            David-A (@david-a)
            16th October 2012, 20:39

            Even with a “dominant” car, you need the drivers to show that dominance in order to dominate. That’s why although as you said earlier, the car plays a role, you cannot forget the driver, nor claim that anyone could have done the same.

          8. Profile Photo

            raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
            17th October 2012, 7:30

            @jackhider a pairing of Webber and his imaginary twin (ie two exactly same performing drivers) probably wouldn’t have.

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            magon4 (@magon4)
            17th October 2012, 9:58

            Red Bull’s most “dominant” year was, by far, 2010. They have been less dominant every year, since then. This year, they haven’t been dominant at all, until the last couple of races.

          10. Profile Photo

            Bruno (@brunes)
            17th October 2012, 12:30

            De la Rosa had his chance at McLaren and what did he do? Nothing.
            The formula is (great driver + great car = wins)
            I am not sure if we have ever seen a “any” driver win the championship only because he had the fastest car. Have we? They win because they are very good, so good they can beat their team mates who drive the same machine.

      3. Profile Photo

        Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
        17th October 2012, 9:52

        @jackhinder – would Hamilton or Alonso win the world championship in an HRT? Absolutely not! No driver can win the world championship if his car isn’t even capable of scoring a point.
        I doubt Karthikeyan or De La Rosa could win the world championship, even in one of the dominant Ferrari’s, that is why they are driving for HRT and not RBR. Good drivers make all the difference; in Suzuka last year Vettel was on pole by 9 thousandths of a second because he pulled out a great lap to un-spur a faster McLaren from P1. Karthikeyan would probably only have been good for 4/5th.
        And lastly, do you know why Red Bull had the fastest car last year? Because they were the best team with the best driver.

    2. stirper
      16th October 2012, 17:49

      My Freind Ferrari has already the best driver in the grid. What they need is the best car on the grid.

      1. Profile Photo

        Palle (@palle)
        16th October 2012, 23:05

        Yes, maybe You are right. If they also had a top 6 driver no 2, then he would have picked enough points from their worst competitors, so their no 1 driver would, maybe, still be leading. If You have the best car on the grid, then You don’t need the best driver – See Brawn.

  14. Profile Photo

    Timothy Katz (@timothykatz)
    16th October 2012, 16:03

    So, if he’s got a “contract extension” as reported on the BBC, who goes there in 2014? Or is Massa on a sort of probationary year next year?

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      Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
      16th October 2012, 16:30

      You never know, it could be Vettel (although Di Montozemolo appears to not wish that to happen as long as Alonso’s there).

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        celeste (@celeste)
        16th October 2012, 17:17

        Maybe Alonso is on his way out ;)

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          raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
          16th October 2012, 17:32

          @celeste While I don’t believe that to be likely – we should remember Count Monty can be rather ruthless with drivers. Remember him basically sacking Schumacher for Raikkonen, then Raikkonen for Alonso?

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            celeste (@celeste)
            16th October 2012, 17:38

            Well, I guess we could call that Karma on F1 level…

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            Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
            16th October 2012, 18:30

            @raymondu999 – you never know, if Vettel is a 4-time world champion by then and Alonso obviously still hadn’t won one with Ferrari, they could cut his contract short (I don’t believe that would happen though). And judging from Luca’s reaction he doesn’t appear to want two really competitive drivers in the same team…

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            raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
            17th October 2012, 5:45

            @vettel1 as I said, you never know. In 2006 Schumacher had won 5 titles with Ferrari, and was fighting for a 6th. And yet he still saw fit to hire Raikkonen. I don’t think anyone is ever safe with a Ferrari drive whilst Count Monty is at the helm.

            Remember a while back he said that Alonso needs to win a title if he expects Monty to hire a patsy number 2 for the other Ferrari

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    dot_com (@dot_com)
    16th October 2012, 16:04

    I feel like Alonso is the only winner here. Massa will continue to lose any remaining credibility, getting trounced into #2 status for another year. Ferrari will most likely not feature in the Constructors battle next year because only one driver will be scoring serious points. And the fans are robbed of seeing some new talent in the seat that Massa should have been forced to vacate a long time ago.

    1. Profile Photo

      SovietWookie (@sovietwookie)
      16th October 2012, 18:38

      spot on

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      Captain Shuntalot (@f1withmyson)
      16th October 2012, 18:44

      Well said, I completely agree.

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      Todfod (@todfod)
      16th October 2012, 19:19

      @dot_com Agree completely. Also dont think Alonso is thinking this through. He much rather have a faster and more consistent teammate who can battle the Red Bulls and Mclaren instead of Felipe.. who keeps the Toro Rossos at bay

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      MazdaChris (@mazdachris)
      17th October 2012, 10:18

      If Massa is unable to consistently take the fight to Alonso in equal machinery, then I’m afraid the number 2 position is exactly where he deserves to be. If he is able to take the fight to Alonso, then all the talk of hens and cocks will be irrelevant; as in the case of 2006/7, it will be the driver who comes out on top by the end of the season who will get the preferential treatment. Ferrari want to win the WCC and the WDC, in that order. They don’t really mind which of their drivers is the one who wins the WDC as long as one of them does.

      But of course, it doesn’t matter how good your driver pairing is if you don’t give them a car capable of fighting for victory. Ferrari must do better in this respect. Yes, Red Bull are very good, but Ferrari are Ferrari. They cannot allow themselves to be totally outclassed by a drinks company for the fifth year running.

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        MazdaChris (@mazdachris)
        17th October 2012, 10:33

        (sorry, that should be 2007 and 2008)

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    Magnificent Geoffrey (@magnificent-geoffrey)
    16th October 2012, 16:06

    Anyone else get the impression 2013 will be a ‘farewell’ season for Felipe Massa?

    1. Ogurka
      16th October 2012, 16:23

      Yes, his 4th in a row 8)

      1. Himmat
        16th October 2012, 16:46

        Hah. Nice one!

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    MW (@)
    16th October 2012, 16:10

    I can’t wait to hear Massa on the radio after his first win.. “Not bad for a … hen!” :)

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      safeeuropeanhome (@debaser91)
      16th October 2012, 16:32

      And then you wake up :)

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        celeste (@celeste)
        16th October 2012, 17:41

        lol

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    HUHHII (@huhhii)
    16th October 2012, 16:21

    Wow, how stupid are they at Ferrari camp? Massa has been awful since his 2009 accident and few good performances shouldn’t guarantee a seat for him.

    It looks like Ferrari doesn’t even want to win constructor’s championship.

    1. sHAHRIARs
      16th October 2012, 16:31

      as stupid as it gets…
      sucks to be a ferrai fan now……

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        Joe Papp (@joepa)
        17th October 2012, 0:58

        That sounds a bit overly-critical now. Obviously they think Massa best satisfies their need for a partner to Alonso who is of a certain mind-set, temperament and ability that usually is not found in the same driver. There is no shame in being a loyal domestique or gregario for the Ferrari team. Maybe Felipe realizes he will never win WDC w/ Ferrari, but he’s OK w/ that b/c he knows he won’t win a WDC anywhere else?

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    shrayyef (@shrayyef)
    16th October 2012, 16:25

    Massa needs i win in 2012 so he can start 2013 with good form and he will challenge for the title.

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      James (@jamesf1)
      16th October 2012, 16:35

      Hahahahahahahahaaha. hahahahahaha. ha…

      Massa’s one shot at the title was in 2008. He did all he could but was pipped at the post. He lost that title in a cruel manner, I’ll agree, but nowadays he isn’t even half the man he was then. With number 1 status firmly in Alonso’s hands, Massa will not get a shot at the title. He struggles to get on top of the car or manage to extract any additional performance out of the car.

  20. sHAHRIARs
    16th October 2012, 16:29

    Sucks bigtime as a ferrari fan!
    I dont know what Montezemolo sees in him! There should be a liimit of being out of form. Wining just 11 races in 6 years in Ferrari. Even the statistics fail to show how much a dumb-driver he is. If Ferrari needed a number two driver, there are numerous others who would finish 2nd whenever (if) Alonso finishes 1st, but no Ferrari wants a number two driver who will finish in the podium twice a year and rest of the year spin around out of points.

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    James (@jamesf1)
    16th October 2012, 16:30

    Missed opportunity here. There are many options on the table for Ferrari and some of them I would say are better than Felipe. I wonder his contract has any clauses in it where he can be dropped mid-season next year. It’s not something Ferrari have done for a while, but it must be something they could consider, just to try out a couple of different drivers ahead of 2014 (should Vettel not continue with Red Bull, which is hard to imagine given the success they’re currently having).

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    Eggry (@eggry)
    16th October 2012, 16:41

    Not bad choice. Actually I think it’s quite no-brainer for Ferrari. If he performs next year as recent from, WCC is very possible. of course Ferrari should produce winning car from Melbourne though.

    1. Kimi4WDC
      17th October 2012, 1:27

      Wishful thinking :)

      Until Luca stops talking/acting in charge of Ferrari F1 team, they always going to be a bunch of chickens, with Santander Rooster telling them what to do :)

      Italian National team run by Spanish money, gotta love to be Ferrari fan lately.

  23. mantresx
    16th October 2012, 17:00

    Well now we can be sure Ferrari won’t win the WCC next year either.

  24. Kabs
    16th October 2012, 17:15

    No idea what everyone is complaining about here. As a Ferrari fan myself I think it’s brilliant to have Massa back. He is a true team player and when he’s fast, he is seriously fast.

    Just look at the last race, he was probably just as fast as Vettel and had to back off for Alonso. He just needed time to come out of his accident and cope with a new type of car and tyres.

    I wish him all the best for the remainder of this season and next.

    1. MJ4
      16th October 2012, 17:35

      Fact is, any other driver in any other team would have been fired long ago for the kind of performance he put in during the last couple of years. And this is, in many ways, the biggest team in the sport we’re talking about…

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        nidzovski (@nidzovski)
        16th October 2012, 19:03

        I’ve got the answer: Alonso!

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        Joe Papp (@joepa)
        17th October 2012, 1:01

        So does this reflect well on Ferrari for honoring Massa’s contract up to now and not trying to fire him for allegedly underperforming, or does it reflect poorly upon them b/c they should’ve been very ruthless and found a way to dispose of him?

        1. MJ4
          17th October 2012, 8:51

          People get fired for not performing everywhere, not only F1. Why is that “ruthless”?

          Yes, it reflects very poorly on Ferrari. You also comment elsewhere: “There is no shame in being a loyal domestique or gregario”.

          When you take part in an extremely competitive sport, being a loyal domestique to another participant is all the shame in the world.

    2. Kimi Räikkönen
      17th October 2012, 9:47

      +1

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    Brace (@brace)
    16th October 2012, 17:25

    I really can’t believe that there are people who are suggesting Ferrari is knowingly doing the wrong thing here. I mean, are you serious? Why would they do what they did if they thought there was a better option?
    You are seriously suggesting that they wanna screw themselves up?

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      Timothy Katz (@timothykatz)
      16th October 2012, 17:37

      Slightly confused, Brace. Which post(s) are you refering to about Ferrari knowingly doing the wrong thing?

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        Joe Papp (@joepa)
        17th October 2012, 1:03

        I don’t think he’s referring to a specific post but rather those expressing the sentiment that Ferrari team is knowingly choosing to go w/ an inferior product as if there was a better choice out there to fill their needs for an Alonso-partner. Obviously, unless you think the fact that Todt’s son manages Felipe was the crucial factor, Ferrari re-signed Massa b/c they think he’s their best option for accomplishing their goals next year.

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    Jorge Lardone (@jorgelardone)
    16th October 2012, 17:29

    Sad news. You have to think that this man, who was about to win a championship of Formula 1 in 1998, will never win a race again while Alonso is on track, because Alonso´s ego is so big.
    Massa is a very good driver, he might have played a good role driving for Sauber or Williams.

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      Jorge Lardone (@jorgelardone)
      16th October 2012, 21:33

      2008, not 1998

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      Todfod (@todfod)
      17th October 2012, 7:54

      @jorgelardone

      because Alonso´s ego is so big

      Not because Alonso’s ego is so big… its more because Massa doesn’t stand a chance in hell anyways. How many races has Massa been stronger than Alonso since 2010? 4 or 5 ??? While Alonso has absolutely outclassed him the rest of the time.

      Massa cannot beat Alonso with same machinery and that is why he is demoted to number 2… if he thinks he has a chance of winning a championship, maybe he should leave Ferrari. I do not know how you can feel sorry for Massa when he himself wants to stay at Ferrari despite the situation.

  27. Gridl0k
    16th October 2012, 17:48

    Is OK. I mean, is OK. I don’t care about the rest. Is ok.

    — Kimi

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    dot_com (@dot_com)
    16th October 2012, 17:49

    What is the record for most number of consecutive seasons in a Ferrari? Massa must be close to it.

    1. Gridl0k
      16th October 2012, 17:59

      Schuey was what, 96-2006, so 11 seasons? Anyone go longer?

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    Ed Marques (@edmarques)
    16th October 2012, 17:58

    I don’t like Massa, but he is the best option by far. Maybe Hulkenberg could be in the picture, but he would need to adapt to the team, teammate, those kind of things. The other drivers are not quick enough, or aren’t race winners material yet. Di Resta, Kobayashi, Alguersuari, Sutill? Pffff….

    1. Gridl0k
      16th October 2012, 18:00

      They lost their best (only?) option when Webber re-signed for RBR.

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        Ed Marques (@edmarques)
        16th October 2012, 18:06

        Yeap. Webber would be a nice fit to the team.

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        James (@jamesf1)
        16th October 2012, 18:16

        @gridl0k They also lost Perez after Singapore. That was, for me, I massive loss and has forced Ferrari’s hand to pick Massa.

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      dot_com (@dot_com)
      16th October 2012, 18:55

      I would rate most of those drivers above Massa. They are not race winners, mainly because they’ve been in midfield cars throughout their careers. Felipe, on the other hand, has been in a race winning car for several seasons without winning a race.

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        Ed Marques (@edmarques)
        16th October 2012, 20:00

        Constant winners I meant. And no one of these drivers are capable of doing that now. And I believe Perez won’t either (next year), even with Mclaren. Massa already did that, and with confidence he could do it again. But the most important thing is that Massa is what Ferrari needs right now. A competent driver who will what they want.

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      Joe Papp (@joepa)
      17th October 2012, 1:05

      Just curious but why would Heikki Kovalainen not have been a viable candidate for pairing w/ Alonso? He has, after all, won a GP and he does not yet have a 2013 contract.

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    Antonio Nartea (@tony031r)
    16th October 2012, 18:05

    Felipe’s form in the past 5 races demonstrated his seat at Ferrari is well deserved. Sure, he had a well sub-par first half of 2012 but the important aspect now is that he managed to find the resources to recover from this dark age of his career. And most importantly, he’s one of the few good drivers out there capable of understanding their place in the team as second drivers. This made him Ferrari’s only option for next year.

    And who knows, if Vettel stays with Red Bull next year and Massa has a good season and brings a solid contribution to a potential WCC title for Ferrari, then I wouldn’t be surprised if Ferrari retain him for even another year. Remember what everybody thought about Mark Webber and his place at Red Bull last year? Well, the whole Massa story doesn’t seem far from that now…

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      James (@jamesf1)
      16th October 2012, 18:18

      @tony031r What about the 35 races prior to that? He has only a few 4th-10th places to his name, book ended by a pair of podiums. His previous 5 races have been good, but over two seasons, he hasnt had the flare or standard that any top team needs if they’re serious about the Constructors title.

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        Joe Papp (@joepa)
        17th October 2012, 1:14

        maybe he’s recovered after a few seasons in the wilderness? obviously he’s still got the capacity to fight for the podium, and becoming consistent again is the challenge. not you personally, but I think some fans are being downright cruel/disrespectful of Massa and snarkily-dismissive…

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    Journeyer (@journeyer)
    16th October 2012, 18:19

    “Indeed, this was one of the reasons that pushed Montezemolo and Massa to decide on announcing the renewal today, to put an end to all the speculation.”

    Oh, Ferrari. We stopped speculating about 2013 weeks ago, once we figured out your plan. Haven’t you heard all the talk is about your 2014 lineup now? ;)

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    crr917 (@crr917)
    16th October 2012, 18:22

    Imagine Massa keeps his form from Korea. Now go a bit further and up his quali pace. Fast forward to the last 5 laps of Rnd.1 of the 2013 F1 world championship. Massa leads and Vettel alternator has just failed promoting Alonso to second.
    What would Ferrari do? :D

    Now multiply by 20.

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      ed24f1 (@ed24f1)
      16th October 2012, 22:49

      Maybe watch Australia 2010 or China 2011 again!

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    Antonio Nartea (@tony031r)
    16th October 2012, 18:29

    @jamesf1 – Maybe Ferrari know something we don’t, or they simply trust Massa with the job. I don’t know. You’re right in what you’re saying but there’s no other driver on the grid now who has less to demonstrate than Massa and who is more capable of keeping up with Alonso without passing him, accepting to be the lab rat for all the updates and doing it all without creating any tension in the team. Perez wouldn’t have been able to do it, Hulkenberg wouldn’t have been able to do it. The only guy that would have been up to the job is Di Resta. And he is without doubt slower in essence and more inexperienced than Massa.

    Actually the only guy better than Massa at this job would have been Kovalainen. I don’t have a clue why they didn’t get him…Maybe because they didn’t want to waste the time he would have needed to adapt and get to know the team.

    Anyway, I’m glad they kept Massa at least for another year. He clearly loves Formula 1 and he is trying. Hard. He reminds me of Barrichello in a way. He deserves a seat.

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      Antonio Nartea (@tony031r)
      16th October 2012, 18:30

      Oh, dumb me! I replied in the wrong place…sorry about that…

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      James (@jamesf1)
      16th October 2012, 18:41

      @tony031r I agree about Kovalainen. Personally I would have said he would have been the best man for the job. His performances have been outstanding in the Caterham/Team Lotus donkeys over the last three seasons.

      I guess the deciding factor is that they know Massa would be willing to back down to Alonso. He’s also a know quantity for the team. Given that the regs arent really changing much this year into the next, they probably assume that Massa should continue as he is now in his results. Ferrari would be wise to never asssume though, as it makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me”.

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    Lew Numba 1 (@lew-numba-1)
    16th October 2012, 18:33

    I really thought Massa was due up for an HRT seat next year. He may have his moments but he hasn’t been the same since he was hit in the head. It would’ve been nice to see what some of the other talented drivers could’ve done with the red car.

    IMO, better picks: Kovalainen, DiResta, Hulkenberg, and Kobayashi. Seriously, who even knows how talented Pic, Ricciardo and Vergne really are when they’ve been in cars that were well off the pace this year.

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    nidzovski (@nidzovski)
    16th October 2012, 18:40

    I’ll just hope that he can beat Mr. I’m so special cry baby Alonso next year. I mean Alonso is one of the fastest drivers out there, and so was Schumy, but it takes something else to be a hero in my eyes.

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    carbon_fibre (@carbon_fibre)
    16th October 2012, 19:02

    You ‘re not a fan of Ferrari if you don’t like this piece of news. Massa has been associated with Ferrari for almost a decade now and it will be a sad day when he leaves.I know that he has cost lots of WCC points but I never want him to leave Ferrari.I am sure the team feels the same way and that’s why they keep him.Plus, he was the protagonist of the race that got me hooked in F1 (Interlagos 2008).
    Besides all this, Massa was the best choice for Ferrari in 2013. He knows the team and the team knows him.A new driver would take too much time to adapt and he wouldn’t be as a good team player as Massa is .
    Anyway, I ‘ll be watching him closely in the remaining races.If he continues to bring good results,2013 will be his best year in F1 since 2008.

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      Joe Papp (@joepa)
      16th October 2012, 23:09

      I agree 100% w/ you. It might be irrational, defy logic, or be an emotions-based decision, but I like Felipe w/ Ferrari and am not ready to see him go!

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      Jono (@me262)
      17th October 2012, 0:20

      Massa also speaks Italian which is an advantage at Ferrari

    3. PurePrimes
      17th October 2012, 3:46

      MASSA IS THE BEST FIRT FOR FERRARI NEEDS

      Due to limited testing, Ferrari need one car to do in-race testing and this is what Massa has been doing until the last couples of races when they needed to show that Massa still has it so they can justify this decision.

      Congratulations to Massa and I wish they sack his engineer who always takes a dig at both Massa and Ferrari if you listen between the line. He is the rottn apple in the cart.

      God > infinity

  37. Staffan Hansson
    16th October 2012, 19:24

    This is great news, i can only hope for Massa’s sake that he get off really good with the 2013 car and could be in front from the start, and then taking the title!

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    caci99 (@)
    16th October 2012, 20:04

    This is good news for Massa. His recent form has paid off, so I expect he will be more confident, and that is what Ferrari wants. On the other hand, I still believe that at Ferrari are up to something, the fact that they have extended Massa’s contract by only one year may be proves that they were looking for a driver available for one year.

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    Joe Papp (@joepa)
    16th October 2012, 23:08

    Really happy for Massa.

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    rayan (@rayan)
    17th October 2012, 2:29

    Happy for massa…i hope ferrari will give some importance to him also during the race,so that he is able to prove himself,,,rather testing parts,tyres for alonso ……

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    Dave (@dworsley)
    17th October 2012, 3:22

    Good on Felipe. Don’t get what everyone else’s problem is. Massa is a teamplayer, and at least recently has had adequate speed. A good fit for Ferrari and Alonso.

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    Eric Morman (@lethalnz)
    17th October 2012, 5:23

    you can race just dont beat your team mate.
    wounder if Massa will slow down now he has a contract.

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    katederby (@katederby)
    17th October 2012, 7:55

    No surprise, Massa is the perfect team mate for Alonso. Which only confirms my doubts of the possibility of a Vettel/Alonso line up.

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    Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
    17th October 2012, 8:27

    I spotted an interesting comment from Joe Saward just now, and while I don’t particularly like Saward or his style, I’m surprised at just how much I agreed with him: Ferrari could still go after Mark Webber.

    Ferrari were known to have made him an offer earlier this year, but he signed with Red Bull for one more year, claiming that it was the place to be – and ever since he reaffirmed his place in the team, everybody has kind of forgotten about him. But this is Ferrari we’re talking about: they don’t give up just because the driver they want isn’t available straight away. And while Webber is at the point of his career where he is taking things one year at a time, if you look back over Ferrari’s driver line-ups over the past two decades, they have been the single most stable team on the grid. Sure, they let Ivan Capelli go after one season, but they had originally signed him up for three. And they originally wanted to partner Raikkonen with Alonso before Raikkonen decided to go rallying.

    Meanwhile, everybody has been caught up in the rumours of Vettel going to Ferrari in 2014. But Christian Horner insists that Vettel is under contract until 2015 and Luca di Montezemolo has shot down the idea of having “two roosters” in the team. And while most people believe the Horse Whisperer’s latest diary entry to be implying that Ferrari are saying one thing and thinking another, everything the Horse Whisperer can be applied to each and every single driver on the grid.

    Webber has signed a one-year deal, convinced that it is the place to be in 2013 – but he has experienced a slump in form ever since he agreed to another year, while Vettel is leading the championhip. Ferrari have only taken Massa on for another year, believing he has done enough to keep the seat, but not offering him a multi-year extension. Webber and Alonso also know each other quite well, and would work well together – probably far better than Alonso and Vettel would. Webber is a team player, having filled that role at Red Bull for a while now, but strong enough to pick up the reins if something should befall Alonso. And when Ross Brawn was wooing Hamilton over to Brackley, he made the comment that manufacturer teams “are the place to be” from 2014. All of this seems to be lining up quite nicely, wouldn’t you say?

    Of course, there is the matter of Vettel’s rumoured pre-contract with Ferrari. I would not be surprised if that contract exists – for some time around 2017. I’d wager Ferrari is weighing up Sebastian Vettel as Alonso’s replacement, not his team-mate.

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    Jason (@jason12)
    17th October 2012, 9:25

    This feels like a case of charity.
    Sit ubu sit, good dog.

    1. Kimi4WDC
      18th October 2012, 0:13

      He is better paid than Hamilton or Button :)

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    ana heully (@ana1313)
    18th October 2012, 3:03

    I am so happy to hear that Massa will be racing Ferrari again next year! I really do think he does a good job on Ferrari and I would hate to see him race for anyone else. I was starting to worry that he wasn’t going to renew his contract because I can see him retiring in the next few years, and if he didn’t get renewed it might have jumped started his retirement.

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    AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
    18th October 2012, 13:02

    Good news for Felipe, I’m happy for him.

    Maybe I’m being a little naive here but I would like to think that from the beginning of next season Ferrari don’t just presume that Alonso is their only shot at the WDC and ignore Massa. If Massa rules himself out or doesn’t perform fair enough, but I think that just to dimiss him in principal is a poor move.

  48. carlo alcantara
    21st November 2012, 20:41

    Scuderia Ferrari not only screwed up a couple of races for Alonso this 2012….but resigning Massa for 2013???……Ferrari is not deciding with their heads, but with their hearts……bad call….lets see if, at least, they can work on the car now…good luck with that

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