Massa: “Since August I was having fun again”

**Rob** · 2nd December 2012, 16:57

Cheste, 2 December –Felipe Massa is a veteran of the Finali Mondiali, having been part of the Ferrari family since the 2002 season and no way was he going to miss this year’s. The umpteenth transatlantic crossing brought Felipe to Europe, just a week after the end of the 2012 Championship and by tonight, the Brazilian will be back on a plane to his native Sao Paolo. “It’s always nice taking part in events like this one,” said Felipe when he met the press at the Cheste circuit. “To see so many Ferraris on track is very exciting, even if it’s definitely not the first time for me!”

Naturally, Felipe also spoke of the championship that ended last weekend with his second podium finish of the season, coming in front of his home crowd. “In the first half of the year, I was worried about renewing my contract,” he said. I did not think that Ferrari would really wait right to the end of the summer before deciding on the driver line-up for next year. It’s true that ever since I’ve been at Maranello, there have always been rumours about me: already in my first year there was a list of drivers who were supposed to take my place and it was the same this year, with a lot of names and plenty of speculation. At the start, I paid too much attention to these things, but then, in August, I told myself I should only think about racing and having fun and so I began to really drive, to have the right feeling with the car and to drive as quickly as I know how. Now I feel very strong and the results were there to see in the last nine races: so I am optimistic for the future, mine and Ferrari’s.”

http://www.ferrari.com/english/formu...fun-again.aspx

**Sianellen** · 2nd December 2012, 17:16

From the event today:

**wisepie** · 2nd December 2012, 17:29

Really was a shame that he wasn't in the best place mentally at the start of the season, so it appears it wasn't just that the car was bad but Felipe's mind-set wasn't there either. This explains his poor first half and I'm surprised that he admits it, but all credit to him for his honesty and let's pray that he has a decent car and a good start to next season, for his sake and ours. Vai Felipe!

**fratelliferrari** · 2nd December 2012, 17:49

You are the best Felipe! Always so honest and always a fighter. Fantastic

**XXX132** · 5th December 2012, 03:56

If Felipe starts 2013 the way he finished 2012, he will conceivably be our No.1 driver
Whatever we did to the car the last few races seemed to favour FM more than FA.

**varun** · 5th December 2012, 04:11

Originally Posted by XXX132

If Felipe starts 2013 the way he finished 2012, he will conceivably be our No.1 driver
Whatever we did to the car the last few races seemed to favour FM more than FA.

Whoa...that's a big thing to say in just a few races...
As i am not sure how well that would go down with Nando!!!

not that i am against massa...he is a great and highly underrated driver...:(

Just want to see WDC and WCC with us in 2013..and
have a car which would really have the raw pace..minus problems like tyre heating,Wind tunnel problems...

Forza Ferrari!

**FFFerrari** · 5th December 2012, 04:12

Felipe really is that way. If he has confidence in the car, he can bring the car much closer to the limit. The other way around, if he doesn't have that he is really mediocre. Fernando is the other way around, he can take just about any car to the limit even with little a confidence but Felipe can push it even further if everything is in the right place. If both men are given cars that fit their driving style perfectly, Felipe is likely a tiny bit faster but 4 out 5 cars, Fernando is the faster guy.

Also, you have to note that Fernando had massive pressure at the end of the season while Felipe could drive without worries after he had secured the seat for 2013.

**fratelliferrari** · 5th December 2012, 06:07

Would be nice if Felipe and Fernando both can fight for the championship till the last race. Then i hope Felipe will become WDC!

**Massimo** · 5th December 2012, 07:34

Originally Posted by fratelliferrari

Would be nice if Felipe and Fernando both can fight for the championship till the last race. Then i hope Felipe will become WDC!

I really don't hope both of them are fighting for the championship 'till the last race, that means they have taken a lot of points from each other, and one of them could have been the champion a few races earlier.
Remember 2008? Great for us, but McLaren should have never allowed Lewis and Fernando to race each other, the title would've been theirs way before the last race.

**Massa#1** · 5th December 2012, 08:24

Originally Posted by fratelliferrari

Would be nice if Felipe and Fernando both can fight for the championship till the last race. Then i hope Felipe will become WDC!

That would be awesome.

**fratelliferrari** · 5th December 2012, 21:53

Sorry Massimo but that was not the case in 2008. In 2008 Heikki was the teammate of Lewis and not Fernando. You mean 2007 with Kimi winning in the last race

**wisepie** · 6th December 2012, 17:01

What is it with the Dutch Ferrari brigade?! Massimo and Fratelli, so glad to see the Italian passion spreads far and wide, even if we do have to support a Spaniard and a Brazilian, but they're Latins so we make no excuses for our loyalty! I hope they can both challenge in 2013 and it would be fantastic to see Felipe have a good run at the championship he so cruelly missed out on in 2008.

**Stormy** · 6th December 2012, 17:30

Massa got a psychological problem thats why he wasnt delivering nice performance after he cleared his head and got into a meditative state he was able to score points and put up a good performance so all i can say is to continue like that in 2013,obviosly he had some issues in his head lets hope he fixed that :)

**wisepie** · 6th December 2012, 17:35

Originally Posted by Stormy

Massa got a psychological problem thats why he wasnt delivering nice performance after he cleared his head and got into a meditative state he was able to score points and put up a good performance so all i can say is to continue like that in 2013,obviosly he had some issues in his head lets hope he fixed that :)

You're probably right but somehow he managed to sort himself out and that takes one hell of a lot of effort when you're constantly being criticised so pray that he manages to keep his demons at bay from now on. Good boy!

**Stormy** · 6th December 2012, 17:42

Originally Posted by wisepie

You're probably right but somehow he managed to sort himself out and that takes one hell of a lot of effort when you're constantly being criticised so pray that he manages to keep his demons at bay from now on. Good boy!

Yeah probably thats the problem,he still got the skills its just his head is messed up.
Oh i wish the incident in 2009 didnt happen,after this moment he wasnt the same.

**Silent Bob** · 6th December 2012, 18:59

It's too bad he didn't have this chat with himself earlier in the season, we might be WCC champs right now.

**Massimo** · 6th December 2012, 19:55

Originally Posted by wisepie

What is it with the Dutch Ferrari brigade?! Massimo and Fratelli, so glad to see the Italian passion spreads far and wide, even if we do have to support a Spaniard and a Brazilian, but they're Latins so we make no excuses for our loyalty! I hope they can both challenge in 2013 and it would be fantastic to see Felipe have a good run at the championship he so cruelly missed out on in 2008.

Ha,ha, I'm born and raised in Italia, the beautiful island of Sardegna to be precise, so don't worry about the Italian passione, i live in Holland because of work (offshore)

**fratelliferrari** · 6th December 2012, 20:42

Sorry but what do you mean by ''brigade'' wisepie? Did I say something wrong? My English isn't very good but can you explain me what it is?

**fratelliferrari** · 6th December 2012, 20:54

I think it's not so simple to say that he should have done that earlier. He was in a very difficult situation during this season and has done just what we would love to see him doing. Began to drive fantastic after the summer break because he looked to hisself. But i guess it was a very big step for him to that. Only respect for Felipe!

**Corey** · 6th December 2012, 21:07

Looking back at the photos of the F60 the body actually looks pretty sick.

I remember that I used to dislike the appearance of the 2009 cars after the major regulation revamp. Which is probably because I was too used to seeing F1 cars from 2008 and further on.

**Suzie** · 6th December 2012, 21:08

Originally Posted by Corey

Looking back at the photos of the F60 the body actually looks pretty sick.

Curvy like a Coke bottle.
Bit weird seeing him in an F60 again, though

**wisepie** · 7th December 2012, 07:39

Originally Posted by fratelliferrari

Sorry but what do you mean by ''brigade'' wisepie? Did I say something wrong? My English isn't very good but can you explain me what it is?

Don't worry, it's just a way of saying that there seem to be a lot of Italian tifosi based in Holland, which I find interesting. Massimo says he's 'off-shore' so he must be making a lot of money in the Netherlands! Nothing wrong with your English, fratello!!

**fratelliferrari** · 7th December 2012, 10:11

Haha allright wisepie. But Iam a real ''Dutchman". I haven't got Italian roots but i hope this is not a problem to be a Tifosi i guess hihi?

**wisepie** · 7th December 2012, 17:03

Originally Posted by fratelliferrari

Haha allright wisepie. But Iam a real ''Dutchman". I haven't got Italian roots but i hope this is not a problem to be a Tifosi i guess hihi?

Don't be silly, of course it's not a problem being a Dutch Tifoso as I'm a real English Tifoso, a Flying Dutchman may not be quite as exciting as a Prancing Horse, but we're all fratelli when it comes to our passione Italiana. Ciao.

**wisepie** · 7th December 2012, 17:11

Originally Posted by Massimo

Ha,ha, I'm born and raised in Italia, the beautiful island of Sardegna to be precise, so don't worry about the Italian passione, i live in Holland because of work (offshore)

Massimo, I knew you were from Sardegna and I am told it is very beautiful, one place in Italy I haven't been yet but don't think I could handle the Costa Smeralda as it's too expensive and I don't own a Ferrari! Have a friend who married someone from Alghero, she loves it there. Hope the off-shore life in Holland will allow you to earn enough for your own F2013, the championship winner! I know this is TSN but hope the personal aspect isn't classified as irrelevant! Salute.

**Massimo** · 7th December 2012, 21:15

Originally Posted by wisepie

Massimo, I knew you were from Sardegna and I am told it is very beautiful, one place in Italy I haven't been yet but don't think I could handle the Costa Smeralda as it's too expensive and I don't own a Ferrari! Have a friend who married someone from Alghero, she loves it there. Hope the off-shore life in Holland will allow you to earn enough for your own F2013, the championship winner! I know this is TSN but hope the personal aspect isn't classified as irrelevant! Salute.

Sardegna is fantastic, I'm from Cagliari myself, not many people can handle the Costa Smeralda as it's Briatore, Aga Khan, Emir of Qatar and Berlusconi territory.
Off-shore in Holland makes my life very pleasant, not enough for a Ferrari though, ha,ha, thank you for the friendly words. viva la Rossa!

**fratelliferrari** · 7th December 2012, 21:43

How do you enjoy life in the Netherlands, Massimo? In which city do you live?

**Massimo** · 7th December 2012, 22:11

Originally Posted by fratelliferrari

How do you enjoy life in the Netherlands, Massimo? In which city do you live?

Except for the weather, Holland is a great country, very organised ha,ha, nothing beats Italia of course :xmaswink:
I live in Amsterdam, comes closest to Italian chaos :xmasbiggrin: