Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Massa relishes Ferrari challenge

Felipe Massa is relishing the chance to race for Ferrari this year, even if he has no illusions about the task ahead of him

The Brazilian has inherited many of the challenges that faced his predecessor, compatriot Rubens Barrichello, at Formula One's glamour team.

Like Barrichello, Massa has to compete in the shadow of his teammate, seven-times World Champion Michael Schumacher, while coping with the weight of expectation from Brazilian fans yearning for the days when their drivers were the world's best.

The 24-year-old, a former Ferrari test driver who joins from Sauber, knows there is a big difference between his formal status in the team and the reality of working alongside the sport's most successful driver.

Massa has yet to stand on the podium, while his German teammate has won 84 races.

"My contract doesn't say anything (about status), it says that I have to do my best and that the team will give me full support and I have seen that in testing," Massa told a news conference on Wednesday at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites.

"On the other hand, when you have someone who came here after (the team had gone) nearly 20 years without a (title) victory and he goes and wins the World Championship five years in a row then for sure he is going to have incredible support," he added, referring to his German teammate.

"Every new driver needs to win the support of the team but I think it is easier for the team to make two cars that are the same rather than two different ones and I think they want the most number of points for the team," said Massa.

"To get advice from someone like him (Schumacher) is very valuable and he has always been very kind to me."

Rossi Speculation

Given the uncertainty over 37-year-old Schumacher's plans after this season, and Massa's one-year deal, there has been intense speculation about what will happen in 2007. The Brazilian brushed that aside.

"Everyone is talking about 2007 when we are at the start of the 2006 season and that is a bit funny. But I'm calm.

"When I talk to the people here, (technical director) Ross Brawn, (team boss) Jean Todt and so on, they are all talking about 2006," he said.

Five-times MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, who has been testing with Ferrari, could be lining up a switch to Formula One but Massa believed the Italian would need more time in a car before he was ready to race.

"It is nice to see a driver coming from MotoGP but Formula One is very different. Everyone needs to gain experience in this sport and many of us started in karting when we were eight or 10 years old -- he hasn't done that," he said.

"He is undoubtedly a great talent but if he wants to come into F1 he need some experience, like doing a year as a test driver. But he needs to make those decisions."

Massa also has to cope with the expectations of a Brazilian public that grew up on the success of Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and the late Ayrton Senna.

"I take great pride in being Brazilian and one day I hope to win the world title for myself and for my country but it is certainly not easy being a Brazilian in F1," he said.

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Q & A with McLaren's Peter Prodromou
Next article Ferrari confident over new car

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe