Ferrari driver Felipe Massa’s car catches fire due to oil leak in Valencia tests – Formula 1 news
Valencia’s third practice day turned out to be too hot for Felipe Massa as his new F150 caught fire from an oil leak.
Massa replaced his teammate Fernando Alonso in the new car who set the fastest time on the grid on Wednesday. Alonso had no problem with the car and completed 108 laps with the same car but it seems that Massa was too hot for the car to
handle.
Massa’s car turned across the circuit half hour into the session when on turn five this incident occurred.
The Brazilian stopped facing the wrong way and with smoke coming out of the back of his car. His car was taken into the pits on a flatbed truck.
Ferrari officials said, “It was an hot start for Felipe Massa, His car had a small fire due to an oil leak so it will be necessary to work at length to repair it”.
This same Ferrari car was 206 laps old as run by Fernando Alonso on the first two days of the testing session. This car was also the fastest yesterday but on third day of practice, it did not prove as reliable.
Felipe Massa is with Ferrari since 2006. He finished 3rd in 2006 season scoring 80 points behind his now teammate Fernando Alonso and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher. He was 4th in the standings in 2007 season with
94 points.
He extended his contract with Ferrari until 2010. He finished 2nd in 2008 as his career best. In 2009, he was face to face with his worst accident when a suspension spring from Rubens Barrichello’s car hit him on the helmet and he crashed
in the tyre barrier. He was airlifted to the hospital and missed the entire season finishing 11th.
Massa finished sixth in 2010 season with 144 points and also Ferrari finished 3rd in the constructors’ championship. He agreed on a contract extension with Ferrari until 2012.
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