More pieces are filled into the proverbial puzzle with each passing day as the 2007 Formula One season comes to a close, and next season's grid comes into focus.The latest news comes in the form of an announcement from Ferrari that the team has signed a new contract with its Brazilian driver Felipe Massa, who will stay with the team for the next three seasons at least. The news should come as no surprise, as Massa has had a very strong year, even if he fell from contention for the now three-way title race leading into the final race of the season. Massa, it should be remembered, is also managed by Nicholas Todt, son of Ferrari principal Jean Todt, and has driven under Ferrari power since his F1 debut for Sauber in 2001 under contract with Maranello.
The announcement also ends speculation that still-reigning world
champion Fernando Alonso would move to the Scuderia next season, and that Massa was shifting to Ralf Schumacher's seat at Toyota.
Following some truly stellar drives this season, winning three grands prix and nine podiums, this could be the best move Massa (and Ferrari) have pulled yet.
[Source: Autosport, photo by Clive Mason/Getty]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JD @ Oct 16th 2007 11:25AM
Good! Massa is a good, solid driver who produces pretty nice results very predictably. Now I'm just crossing my fingers for Alonso to not have a drive next year..... it'd serve him right.
Bob-o @ Oct 16th 2007 11:43AM
Say hello to the next Barichello. :)
Evan Brom @ Oct 16th 2007 1:27PM
I really like Massa's watch, Its fun to look for it in post race interviews.
Richard @ Oct 16th 2007 2:21PM
Yeah!
Here's the diggs on Felipe's watch...
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9695464-1.html
Santino @ Oct 16th 2007 1:42PM
JD, im with you on the alonso comment, i never liked him from the start, plus im a schu fan through and through so the last two years really made me dislike him even more, then add the antics he caused a few races back.....
this is a good move on ferraris part, if ferrari can just increase their reliability they have a serious chance at leading the constructors as well as drivers championship next year, both kimi and felipe are both really consistant drivers.
Richard @ Oct 16th 2007 2:24PM
Felipe deserves the drive - regardless of whom his manager is!
He has been faster than Kimi most of the season and gets on well with his team.
I don't think he's the next Barichello. I think he's an honest title contender...
...needs work in the wet weather though.
tpp @ Oct 16th 2007 3:13PM
Massa was faster in the first half of the season, Kimi's been killing him on the second half of the season.
I assume that's because it took some time for Kimi to learn the Ferrari way. It is, after all, his first year with the team, and Massa is on his second year as a race driver, and fourth year counting in his test driver years.
Richard @ Oct 16th 2007 3:44PM
On the year,
Felipe has 5 Pole Positions, 6 fastest laps (Belgium and China being most recent), 3 wins. His last pole was race 12 in Turkey and his last win was the same race
Kimi has 3 poles (last in Belgium), 5 fastest laps (last in Turkey) and 5 wins
Based on this, I think it is difficult to say that Felipe isn't FASTER than Kimi. He is. Kimi, though may be a better racer.
Richard @ Oct 16th 2007 3:50PM
I think it is also important to note that Kimi - unless he has retired - has held his start position or improved it in each race (he finished in the same place he began on the grid or improved) Felipe, though has had 4 races where he finished further back than where he began.
Felipe also has had 2 penalties involving demotion down the grid and Kimi has had but 1
Gooch @ Oct 16th 2007 3:03PM
Isn't that a flip-flop of how things usually are? A Brazilian who needs to work on his wet-weather driving...
I don't think Felipe is the next Barrichello (I think Rubens is an excellent driver, just not championship-caliber). If he can just have the car stay underneath him, he'll be alright.
Oh, and learn to fight off Alonso and Hamilton!
tpp @ Oct 16th 2007 5:12PM
Richard,
Let's take a look at the stats, one half of the season at a time, like I said. First half is 8 races ending at the French Grand Prix. Second half is 8 races starting at the British Grand Prix.
Removing grid penalties and DNFs (and in Massa's case the DSQ in Canada), here're the stats:
First half average grid position:
Massa: 2.14
Kimi: 3
Second half average grid position:
Massa: 2.67
Kimi: 2.5
First half average race finish position:
Massa: 3
Kimi: 3.57
Second half average finish position:
Massa: 4.57
Kimi: 1.86
That stats support everything I said. Massa was quicker on the first half, Kimi on the second half. I have absolutely no doubt Kimi will be faster next year, because he's used to the Ferrari way now.
As for the fastest lap times, maybe if I get bored I'll run the stats on them, too comparing the first half to the second half of the season so far however meaningless it may be, since comparing the fastest lap in a race like China doesn't mean anything. Kimi was so far ahead anyone else that he didn't have to push while Massa was still pushing either to prove a point or to be ready to capitalize on any mistakes by Alonso.
dougjp @ Oct 16th 2007 6:14PM
I wasn't at all impressed in his early years, however grew to like him now. It seems when he's good at certain tracks, he's really good to the point of dominating, although that's a minority of them.
One of best tracks for him is coming up, so the timing of the announcement, just before his home race, where he is required to be in a support role, didn't escape my attention.