Massa: “a reason to be happy”
Nurburgring, 9th July
It might be mid-summer, but the Nurburgring was true to its reputation today, as preparations began for Sunday’s German Grand Prix, with cool weather all day and heavy rain in the late afternoon. In the warm and dry Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Media motorhome, Felipe Massa met the world’s media for the first time since Silverstone three weeks ago. The fact the championship has moved into its second half prompted questions about next year. “It can be strange to see a driver already thinking about next year, but it is normal for a team to look ahead,,” explained the Brazilian. “I am still very much thinking about the second half of this season, but even so, I know that even if we win all the races remaining, we cannot be champions. So, as I driver I want to get back to fighting for the championship and I feel I want to be looking to do the best I can to achieve that, which is why I am already pushing hard in terms of development for next year. Maybe after the next few races, we won’t have anything new to bring to this car. That can be hard to accept, but it is probably the best way to move forward.”
Despite having a relatively poor season, Felipe insists he is still enjoying his job. “I finished fourth in the last race and I was happy, because starting from eleventh place, that was the best result we could achieve. For sure, knowing you have done your best gives you pleasure and is a reason to be happy.”
It seems that the Scuderia is now the only team prepared to run with the Kinetic Energy Recovery System on its car and Felipe explained the reasoning behind this decision. “KERS is an advantage on our car. If you take it away, it does free you up to do what you like in terms of weight distribution, but for us it would lose us three tenths of a second. The KERS is what allows us to get on terms with some of the other teams. Next year, when we build a completely new car, starting from zero, not having to think about KERS, then that will be a different story. I hope we can be back at the front next year, but it will involve a lot of work. The other teams know what they are doing and how to build a competitive car, which is another reason why I am keen to be involved in ideas for next year’s car.”
So what is the best Felipe can hope for on the eve of the final half of the season? “I don’t know if I can win a race this year. I will try all I can to achieve that, but I have my feet on the ground and I know the remaining races are not going to be easy.”
It might be mid-summer, but the Nurburgring was true to its reputation today, as preparations began for Sunday’s German Grand Prix, with cool weather all day and heavy rain in the late afternoon. In the warm and dry Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Media motorhome, Felipe Massa met the world’s media for the first time since Silverstone three weeks ago. The fact the championship has moved into its second half prompted questions about next year. “It can be strange to see a driver already thinking about next year, but it is normal for a team to look ahead,,” explained the Brazilian. “I am still very much thinking about the second half of this season, but even so, I know that even if we win all the races remaining, we cannot be champions. So, as I driver I want to get back to fighting for the championship and I feel I want to be looking to do the best I can to achieve that, which is why I am already pushing hard in terms of development for next year. Maybe after the next few races, we won’t have anything new to bring to this car. That can be hard to accept, but it is probably the best way to move forward.”
Despite having a relatively poor season, Felipe insists he is still enjoying his job. “I finished fourth in the last race and I was happy, because starting from eleventh place, that was the best result we could achieve. For sure, knowing you have done your best gives you pleasure and is a reason to be happy.”
It seems that the Scuderia is now the only team prepared to run with the Kinetic Energy Recovery System on its car and Felipe explained the reasoning behind this decision. “KERS is an advantage on our car. If you take it away, it does free you up to do what you like in terms of weight distribution, but for us it would lose us three tenths of a second. The KERS is what allows us to get on terms with some of the other teams. Next year, when we build a completely new car, starting from zero, not having to think about KERS, then that will be a different story. I hope we can be back at the front next year, but it will involve a lot of work. The other teams know what they are doing and how to build a competitive car, which is another reason why I am keen to be involved in ideas for next year’s car.”
So what is the best Felipe can hope for on the eve of the final half of the season? “I don’t know if I can win a race this year. I will try all I can to achieve that, but I have my feet on the ground and I know the remaining races are not going to be easy.”
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