Felipe Massa believes he can be faster than Fernando Alonso in 2012 – Formula 1 news
Felipe Massa says that he can be faster than his teammate Fernando Alonso if given a competitive car in the upcoming 2012 season.
Massa at the backdrop of some poor performances in the previous three seasons has been given a warning by his team president Luca di Montezemolo.
Massa narrowly missed out on the 2008 world championship title. He has since been not the same as his performances have dipped every season. The Brazilian had a torrid 2011 as he was not able claim any Grand Prix wins or podiums.
He ended the season on 116 points placing 6th in the drivers’ championship. The season was highlighted with several run-ins with Lewis Hamilton which caused the Brazilian to make several visits to the stewards and was slapped a 10-grid penalty as well.
While his team-mate drove impressively with a surprisingly uncompetitive Ferrari car and saved face for the team by finishing 4th in the drivers’ championship and helping Ferrari finish 3rd on the Constructors’ championship. Alonso’s highlight of the season
was when he won the Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Montezemolo was very disappointed with the poor show in the 2011 season and called for a much improved performance in 2012. He warned Massa that if he does not perform in upcoming season he might not have a race seat beyond 2012.
Massa has said that he will be quicker than Alonso given a competitive car.
“Yes, absolutely yes,” Massa said at Ferrari's Wrooom media event. “I am convinced that I can do it. On the race tracks where there was not a marked degradation of tyres, the difference was shown mostly with my driving style. So returning to having a car,
as the one we had for many years, having a car that is competitive, this difference does not exist.”
“I am sure that I can fight against Fernando not just to have the same time, but to make a better time than him - so to be even faster than him,” he said.
It remains to be seen how well Massa improves in the season, but it remains unlikely that he will be able to hold on to his Ferrari race seat beyond 2012.
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