Massa - I would rather quit than be no.2

[John S]

Much as I like you Felippe I think your trying to convince yourself with this tosh, you are about four days to late with this response - which by the way should have been aired over the radio at Hockenheim ahead of you driving to victory. 

I also wonder if Schumi is really ready to face a title attempt next year with Haug's views at Mercedes.?

Felipe Massa insisted, today, he is not Ferrari's number two driver, confirming he is aiming for victory this weekend in Hungary.

Since Hockenheim, where the Brazilian obeyed a team order to let teammate Fernando Alonso win, Brazilian cartoonists have depicted Massa as a puppet.

"People will see him now as a 'yes man' who bends to the will of the company," David Coulthard wrote in his latest Telegraph column.

"And maybe they are right. Team player or stooge? The line is thin."

Mercedes' Norbert Haug said at a pre-race press conference in Hungary that the application of a driver hierarchy can affect motivation.

"If you say 'you are number two' ... it's a complex issue," said the German.

"If the drivers are not fully motivated you will not achieve anything. That needs to be kept in mind," added Haug.

Massa told reporters at the Hungaroring that he is aiming to win this weekend's race, where last year he suffered life-threatening injuries in a qualifying crash.

"The time I have to I say I am the number two driver, I will not race anymore," he pledged.

Earlier, he arrived at the Budapest venue with Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali.

OneStopStrategy.com, Today.

[Scott]

"The time I have to I say I am the number two driver, I will not race anymore," he pledged.

OneStopStrategy.com, Today.

So I don't get it...is Fisi racing from Budapest onwards?   

[cosworth151]

I guess we know who's going to be driving Mini's new WRC car next year. 

Tell Kimi all the guys in Marinello say "Hi."

[Jericoke]

Not sure what to make of this.

Massa was definitely a clear #2 to Schumacher, but I suppose when he came out ahead of Kimi in 2008, he must feel that he no longer has to wear that label (and rightly so)

In the greater scheme of things... if there was no rule against Team Orders, Massa did the right thing for his team, and he did it grudgingly, which is the attitude Ferrari wants.

So, can we take his statement to be he's going to do whatever he can to win, except let Alonso through if he's right behind?

Or has he lost enough sleep this week that we won't see a replay of last weekend at Hungary (assuming Ferrari is in that same position)?  That would explain the delayed statment.  I also hope it's true... I miss hearing Alonso complain on the radio.  If Bernie charged to listen to driver radios, I'd give serious consideration to getting it, just to listen to Alonso ;-)

[lkjohnson1950]

This is definitely locking the barn door after the horses have gone. I don't think Felipe could have made himself #2 any more clearly than he did.

Lonny

[David]

As much as it pains me to say it after last weekend you are the #2 driver in the team. Unless you have a remarkable turn round of fortune and start to dominate over Alonso you will be until the end of the season. There is always next year, and you can be sure I and the rest of the Ferrari fans will be there cheering you from the first race onward.

Keep you chin up and drive the wheels off that car, your fans love you and always will. Go Felipe Baby. 

[SennaMan]

As much as it pains me to say it after last weekend you are the #2 driver in the team. Unless you have a remarkable turn round of fortune and start to dominate over Alonso you will be until the end of the season. There is always next year, and you can be sure I and the rest of the Ferrari fans will be there cheering you from the first race onward.

Keep you chin up and drive the wheels off that car, your fans love you and always will. Go Felipe Baby. 

yeah David, go FELIPE GO!

[SennaMan]

Not sure what to make of this.

Massa was definitely a clear #2 to Schumacher, but I suppose when he came out ahead of Kimi in 2008, he must feel that he no longer has to wear that label (and rightly so)

In the greater scheme of things... if there was no rule against Team Orders, Massa did the right thing for his team, and he did it grudgingly, which is the attitude Ferrari wants.

So, can we take his statement to be he's going to do whatever he can to win, except let Alonso through if he's right behind?

Or has he lost enough sleep this week that we won't see a replay of last weekend at Hungary (assuming Ferrari is in that same position)?  That would explain the delayed statment.  I also hope it's true... I miss hearing Alonso complain on the radio.  If Bernie charged to listen to driver radios, I'd give serious consideration to getting it, just to listen to Alonso ;-)

thanks for such an enjoyable post Jeri

...yeah, felipe helped retire kimi early after kicking his butt last year and let us not forget HAMILTON fluked his WDC by one lousy point [I think?] i in 2008. So he has the goods even if his serious injury last year may have negatively impacted on him.

...and sssh ya naughty gal, as bernie may read ya post and decide to directly charge us for listening to the drivers' race radio talk.  

[Dare]

half way thru the season Ferrari named Massa the number
two driver by the Alonso is faster radio transmission,seems
I remember hearing that same Alonso is faster on Fisichella's
radio at Renault.

Who says Flavio is out of F1,maybe he ought to help his other
driver Mark at Red Bull

[seenathkumar]

No doubt massa is from one of the best drivers. I don't know why he gone against sporting regulations of FIA World Motor Sport Council. Let's hope it will not affect his performance.

[Canada Darrell™]

So this is Massa's last season in F1 then. 

[Willy]

If Massa was a #1 driver he would have been able to beat Schumi, Kimi and Ferd.
No dice.

He also has not been the same since he came back from the head injury.

Time to step down Massa but don't blame it on the team.

[seenathkumar]

Micheal Schumacher is one of the best driver in F1. Massa is also good. coming 1 or 2 is not the issue completing the race with technique is very important. Massa has come now but schumacher is one oldest and experienced F1 racer. He is 7 times world champion. It is just a matter of time

[Monty]

Micheal Schumacher is one of the best driver in F1. Massa is also good. coming 1 or 2 is not the issue completing the race with technique is very important. Massa has come now but schumacher is one oldest and experienced F1 racer. He is 7 times world champion. It is just a matter of time

You are quoting statistics (7 times world champion) this does not make Schumacher a great driver. Many truly great drivers never won a single championship. Schumacher (or his manager) made sure he was in the best teams. He then bullied his way to being a clear number one in the team. He cheated his way to 3 of the 7 Championship wins. He has never been a great driver and he has often been beaten by team-mates in identical machines.
It is true Massa does not have the ruthless streak of say Senna, Schumacher and Alonso. As a spectator that doesn't make him a worse driver in my opinion. However, in the dog-eat-dog world of F1 it probably does mean he will be a number two driver for the rest of this year.

[cosworth151]

let us not forget HAMILTON fluked his WDC by one lousy point [I think?] i in 2008.

Does that mean that Kimi "fluked his WDC by one lousy point" the season before? Were Hawthorn, Phil Hill, Surtees and Piquet flukes, too? How about Niki Lauda, who won the 84 WDC by only 1/2 a point?