Felipe Massa confirmed to stay with Ferrari for 2013 season – Formula 1 news
Felipe Massa has signed a new one-year deal with Ferrari which has confirmed him to stay with the team until the end of the 2013 season.
The decision was announced after a meeting was set to take place between Ferrari team President Luca di Montezemolo and Massa at Maranello this Tuesday.
“I am delighted with this agreement,” Massa said. “Ferrari is my sports family and I have always raced in Formula One driving engines built at Maranello: I can't see myself behind the wheel of a car driven by any other units! First I want to thank the President
Montezemolo and Stefano Domenicali, who gave me confidence and I have always maintained belief, even in the most difficult moments. Both the team and the fans can be assured that I will do all that is in my power to help the Scuderia to achieve the goals that
arise every year.”
The need to decide Massa’s future with Ferrari had arisen after the 31 year old driver had been suffering through some miserable performances from the start of this season. Although as the season has reached its middle, Massa has been improving tremendously.
He finished second at the Japanese Grand Prix and came in fourth at Korean Grand Prix last weekend.
Massa has been the winner of eleven races since he has been driving for the Ferrari team. The last of these race wins was in the Brazilian Grand Prix in the 2008 season which also happens to be the year when he almost won the championship.
In 2009, Massa had to face the consequences of a serious accident and had to quit racing for the rest of the season. The Brazilian driver returned in 2010 and began his partnership with the newly appointed Fernando Alonso by Ferrari.
During the time with Alonso, Massa has been able to make it to the podium only six times out of fifty four races. The driver had been in such a bad form at the beginning of this year that Montezemolo stated it was unthinkable to keep him with the team. The
recent improvement has earned Massa immense appreciation from the whole team and a statement was passed on by Ferrari confirming that his contract has been renewed for another year.
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