What's up with Massa?

[kfzmeister]

Is the car really that bad? How can Alonso almost win it in Barcelona with the same car? Has Massa lost all motivation? Is he pouting? His best lap was more than a second slower than Alonso's. He even got lapped by Alonso! If he gets fired (and i'm thinking we're real close!), who will replace him that can immediately help with constructor's points???

Axe rumours grow louder for Massa

Rumours that Felipe Massa’s F1 career may well be headed for the exit door – a la fellow F1 veterans Jarno Trulli and Rubens Barrichello – have ramped up another notch following yet another woeful performance at the Spanish Grand Prix.

After scrambling into the second phase of qualifying on Saturday, the Brazilian qualified slowest of the Q2 runners and started the race sixteenth courtesy of Lewis Hamilton’s grid demotion.

Massa was lapped by team-mate Alonso in another embarrassing display Despite making an excellent start, Massa progressively fell down the field and finished fifteenth, suffering the indignity of being lapped by team-mate Fernando Alonso, who finished a fighting second to race-winner Pastor Maldonado.

Massa’s fastest lap of the race was over a second slower than the best time wrung out of the car by Alonso.

Ferrari currently lies fourth in the Constructors’ Championship standings, with Massa having scored just two of the team’s 63 points to-date.

And the rumours that the team is swiftly running out of patience with the diminutive driver are continuing to gain momentum, particularly on the back of critical comments from Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.

Massa's form is reminiscent of twenty years ago, when Ivan Capelli was fired before the end of the season after a woeful year with the team “We absolutely need his points to also fight for the constructors’ title,” Domenicali said after the racing, adding that he expects his struggling driver to “fight back starting in Monaco” in two week’s time.

The situation bears similar resemblance to twenty years ago when Ferrari’s ill-handling twin-floor F92A brought about the end of Ivan Capelli’s Formula 1 career.

The Italian scored just three points before being fired before the year was out, while team-mate Jean Alesi heroically delivered two podium finishes in the dreadful car.

While no one is suggesting that the heavily updated F2012 is as bad a car as the F92A, there are still striking similarities in the performance gulf between the team’s two drivers twenty years on.

[kfzmeister]

so i read further and look what i find:

...Adrian Sutil’s presence in Barcelona added fuel to suggestions that the German could form part of Ferrari’s future plans. He is known to have had contact with Maranello in recent months.

I have to admit that seeing Sutil in the Ferrari would be interesting.

[kfzmeister]

even more interesting:

...Speculation is that Sutil could either replace him directly, or replace a driver who moves from his existing team to Massa’s cockpit. It is the latter scenario that seems most likely.

Webber coming sooner? Sutil partnering Vettel the rest of the season??

[Sono Qui]

I highly doubt Red Bull would give up Webber to Ferrari (without some sort of huge compensation from Ferrari). Ferrari has a better chance at either taking from a lower team or bringing in an outsider (such as rumored Sutil).

Even though Ferrari says they won't get rid of Massa, if Massa doesn't step up his game management might change their mind. Maybe a few races from now we'll get a Ferrari test driver mysteriously taking the place of Massa for a race.

[robhurlburt]

hes never been the same since the accident. F1 debrief showed stats pre and post accident and the difference was stunning

[cockerpunk]

i still can't believe Barrichello is out. what a nice guy, and very very very fast. shame to not see him still driving.

[PolskiHetzen]

Kubica!!!!

But seriously. Sutil at Ferrari would not be an upgrade imo. I'd rather grab Heiki or Hulkenberg or Di Resta or Perez.

[The Ninja]

Perez is bringing a lot of cash to Sauber from what I understand. Looking at the current grid I can see Heikki moved to Ferrari and Sutil at Caterham.

[dubsix]

Put a fork in Massa... and Schumacher while we are at it.. too many awesome young talents sitting on the sidelines missing their shot at the big times because these guys and their teams don't know when to call it quits.

[Sump]

Massa should of been out a while ago. Shame that accident made him lose his edge, but he's just not as capable as he used to be.

I'd love to see Rubens get in there and beat Schumi a few times.

[10Ten]

hes never been the same since the accident. F1 debrief showed stats pre and post accident and the difference was stunning

i saw that. i think Ferrari is avoiding knee jerk moves and is staying professionally decent about it. once the public is fully behind them they will make a move. there are also millions of non-USA fans out there who don't want to be insulted. much more F1 politics outside the US. and many still love Massa and want to be sure before the plug is pulled.
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[24vEngineer]

Bring back Heidfield!!!

Kubica!!!!

But seriously. Sutil at Ferrari would not be an upgrade imo. I'd rather grab Heiki or Hulkenberg or Di Resta or Perez.

Heiki would do well, I bet he would do just about anything to drive a more competitive car and he didn't really get the best opportunity to perform at McLaren with all the bad luck he experienced.
Di Resta has shown some speed and would also do well, but the most logical answer would be Perez. Young, impressionable, and he could cuss Fernando out in Spanish when he doesn't get the new development parts. Great drama.

[J-Tim]

Heidfeld isn't that young anymore and would take ages to get up to scratch. Same goes to Kovalainen.

I'd say Sutil or even Petrov would be pretty darn good.

[dubsix]

Petrov 27
Sutil 29
Heikki 30

I lump that in the same age group. On the other hand, Heidlfeld is finished in F1.

[Sono Qui]

Hmm, Heikki moving from Caterham would allow Rossi to step in, and we'd finally have ourselves another US driver.

I think the most logical decision would probably be Perez. Only question is how desperate they are to replace Massa.

[GTIVRSEX2]

I heard Massa will be replace by Lucas Badriver

[kfzmeister]

I'm sure it's Sutil,.....til the end of the season. Then, Webber will join The Scuderia.

[10Ten]

whoever is under consideration will be eyed particularly for their development and adaptation talent. Massa's evident problem is his inability to completely adapt to a difficult chassis. his pace is off, then normal, then off again while Alonso stays on point. so, i doubt Ferrari is eyeing Webber since his adaptation skills are slow to show this season. this is really a "devil you know" situation for Ferrari. any other available driver will have the same challenges to figure out a tricky car late in the game and no more likelihood of success.

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[Type S]

massa lost his edge after the accident, there was no reason for him to be in the car this season. Perez needs to be in the ferrari asap. No need to wait and draw out the process, get it done and over with. Its a decision that has to be made if they want to have any shot at the constructors championship this year.

Sit and wait for massa to stink it up for the rest of the season and provide no input on chassis development......yeah that will go over well with the shareholders.............

[PolskiHetzen]

Do people really expect someone, that's available, to drop into the Ferrari and be any sort of fast? It'll take time to get used to the chassis and car, and they'll be doing the same thing Massa is.

There is no way they'll replace him this season. Off season is a different story but a rookie like Perez won't do well by jumping in mid season with no testing.

[24vEngineer]

You are 100% correct.

[gizmopop]

Do people really expect someone, that's available, to drop into the Ferrari and be any sort of fast? It'll take time to get used to the chassis and car, and they'll be doing the same thing Massa is.

There is no way they'll replace him this season. Off season is a different story but a rookie like Perez won't do well by jumping in mid season with no testing.

It wouldn't be Perez, not until next season. If Massa was chucked mid season, I wager one of their test drivers(who is more familiar with the car than an outside driver) would fill in the gap at least temporarily.

[PolskiHetzen]

It wouldn't be Perez, not until next season. If Massa was chucked mid season, I wager one of their test drivers(who is more familiar with the car than an outside driver) would fill in the gap at least temporarily.

We saw how that worked out after Massa's crash. "Test driver" doesn't seem to mean much these days. If they had a set-up like the Hulk had last year, where he gets numerous Friday drives, the test driver could possibly be ready. It doesn't seem to be Ferrari's way to keep a young driver within the team though and times like this, it seems to bite them in the ass.

[dubsix]

Ferrari has a habit of poaching drivers instead of developing their own, relying on the fact that everyone wants to drive for them. Just recently they have developed the Ferrari young driver program... Perez, Bianchi etc.

[J-Tim]

Do people really expect someone, that's available, to drop into the Ferrari and be any sort of fast? It'll take time to get used to the chassis and car, and they'll be doing the same thing Massa is.

There is no way they'll replace him this season. Off season is a different story but a rookie like Perez won't do well by jumping in mid season with no testing.

coughKimicough

[kfzmeister]

coughKimicough

That'll be just like watching Schumacher attempt his comeback again! Lol

[Mk1Racer]

coughKimicough

Why in the world would Kimi leave a better, faster car?

[24vEngineer]

Why in the world would Kimi leave a better, faster car?

Because Ferrari still stocks ice cream bars in there hospitality tent.

[PolskiHetzen]

coughKimicough

I like to believe Kimi isn't an idiot.

Plus, they paid 25million for him to GTFO and stay out. There is no way they'll bring him back, ever. I hope you're trolling.

[kfzmeister]

I like to believe Kimi isn't an idiot.

Plus, they paid 25million for him to GTFO and stay out. There is no way they'll bring him back, ever. I hope you're trolling.

I don't think anybody is interested in driving for Ferrari now, unless the name is Heidfeld, Sutil, Algwershuaree or Bwemmee. Lmao.

Perez is like: "Hmmm, estoy bien, no gracias. pienso que me voy el ano que biene o despues......
Yeah, i'm actually good at Sauber right now. We still are trying some things and it will be at least a year, or two before my contract will allow a switch.....