Felipe Massa says Ferrari needs to improve qualifying to secure podium positions - Formula 1 Update
Ferrari’s Formula 1 driver, Felipe Massa, has assured that his team only needs to qualify better, if they are to achieve podium positions in the future races. The driver added that with this condition, Ferrari can move ahead on the grid and win the up-coming
weekends of the 2011 season.
Massa admitted that his two-stop strategy used in the China race was not declared positive for his race place. He also said that he would have used the three-stop strategy during the race for the team’s better results, than his sixth-place finish in Shanghai.
The Brazilian had a strong start in the Chinese Grand Prix but despite his decent performance, he was a little upset with his race results. The 29-year-old had made an impressive run in the Australian and Malaysian races this season. For the Shanghai circuit,
he expected more than before but failed to deliver his best run against the top-runners of the course.
Massa added, "In China actually my grid position, sixth, was not too bad and then I gained one place immediately after the start which moved me up to fifth. Most importantly though, if you look at the pace of the car, it was good enough to allow us to fight
with the leaders."
He also discussed Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton’s performance. Massa said, "In Shanghai, it was good for the sport of Formula 1 that Lewis won the race, so we don't have the same car winning every time. However, we must not forget
that Sebastian still finished second which is a very good result, which still keeps him in a good position for the championship.”
The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix winner said that Ferrari must consider Mercedes, as a strong competitor in the remainder of this season, after their driver Nico Rosberg put up a spirited performance in the last race.
Massa went on to say, “It is also true that the Red Bulls suffer more than most in a performance drop off from qualifying to the race, so this could see Mercedes continuing to be very competitive now in the races."
On the other hand, his team-mate Fernando Alonso defends the two-stop strategy, as he considers different approaches would not have changed anything in the race. Alonso finished behind Massa in the Shanghai race and got six points for Ferrari.
Massa admitted that he lost too much time behind Mercedes team driver, Michael Schumacher, after the opening laps. After Massa found the former champion again during the last laps of the course, he lost his touch with the leading group of the race.
After the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari is looking for their podium positions in the up-coming race of the 2011 season, which will take place on 8 May, in Turkey.
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