Don't you think Massa and Raikkonen should have traded places for the race?

Question

Yeah it's impossible, but I can't believe how defenseless Massa was when he gave the 2nd spot to Lewis. As the commentator said, it was like waving a flag and saying "please bump me off the course and take 2nd place". All race long Massa was off the pace like Raikkonen, but if I remember correctly, it was Raikkonen surging after the pitstop, overtaking Kubica in the process. He overtook Alonso twice too, but it was too little to late for him. If he was in Massa's shoes I'm sure he would have overtaken Piquet and defended Lewis if he was slower during that time.

Nevertheless, great race for Lewis and especially Piquet. Lewis had to win it the hard way, but I guess that's how champions do it right?

Answer 1

Massa wanted the points and conceded that Lewis was much faster than him (1,5 sec a lap) on a track where passing is easier or less difficult than most any other F1 circuit.

He got to him and immediately was challenging to pass, it was pretty obvious the only way for Massa to keep him back was to risk a coming together.

Massa has been driving for points of late unless the opportunity to win arises, something he's learned this and last year the hard way and is being rather conservative in his approach.

Also, according to him the car wasn't behaving very well, one can never know how much such things can affect a drivers pace as well as his will to push, we can only watch from the outside.

As far as Kimi is concerned he wasn't anywhere near due to his own performance and even if he were they're both fighting for the championship so...

Answer 2

I was screaming out loud at the pass. It wasn't as if Massa was fighting Hamilton off. Hamilton easily picked Massa and Piquet off. For sure Ferrari were struggling that weekend but it was really inexplainable how Massa could just give up the position so easily. Kimi would've made it harder for Hamilton. It was just too bad he didn't qualify further up the grid

Answer 3

Lewis monstered Felipe a lot easier than he would have Kimi, that's for sure, but in his defence neither of the Ferrari's were on top form. Felipe had a go back and I thought he might have had it, but it just seems to me like something was missing from the car. I'm not 100 % sur Kimi would have made it stick either