Q: Felipe, this time last year, you were still, what has been described as fast and furious and yet you then made a huge amount of progress. Starting from here, is there still progress to be made?
Felipe MASSA: Yeah, for sure. It didn’t change a lot, just a bit more experience in a top team like Ferrari. I think it was a great learning year, and also learning how to fight at the front, not just understanding the race and everything, so I am pretty happy the way it’s developed so far, so working hard to keep improving race by race. Q: And yet this hasn’t been a good circuit for you…
FM: No, definitely not, so hopefully we can take all the bad luck I’ve had here in the past to be good luck this year.
Q: Are you aware of the fact that a lot of people say that Ferrari are the favourites?
FM: I think it’s normal when you are quick all the time, and I think the winter tests have been very good for us, improving every few days of testing we were stronger and stronger, right up to the last day in Bahrain. I think it’s normal for people to have high expectations, looking at the times and everything. But testing is testing, racing is racing and now is the time that really counts, so hopefully we can remain in the same direction, especially now, starting the first race.
Q: Is there a different feeling at Ferrari, given the changes that have taken place since the end of last season with no Michael, no Ross Brawn, no Paolo Martinelli?
FM: Yeah, for sure there’s a big change for us, without Michael, without Ross, without Martinelli but if you look on the other side, everyone who is running the team is very important, as they were last year. The people who built the car last year are the same people who built the car this year. The people who took a little bit more responsibility were already important last year. I trust the people, I trust the engineers, I trust the team. Everybody is really a hundred percent motivated to keep pushing hard, to keep having the good results Ferrari has always had in the past. So hopefully we can achieve our targets without Michael, without Ross, without Paolo Martinelli. I pretty much think that the people can do the job.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (James Allen - ITV) Felipe, from your point of view, have you seen the best yet of Kimi Raikkonen?
FM: I think for sure Kimi is very quick and a great driver and so I expect him to be tough in terms of competition, which I am pretty sure he will be. But testing, as we said before, is testing and now is when it really counts and I am very much looking forward to being competitive as well like I was in the second half of the year with Michael and it is important on the other hand to work well as a team and have the best car that we can (have) and then do the job on the track, the two of us, together with the team and the result in the end is the most important thing and we need to work together to get the result. I am confident about the team. It is has been a great winter and I am looking forward to the races now.
Q: (Juha Paatalo – Financial Times Deutschland) Felipe, you have already said that testing is testing and racing is racing and that’s what counts, but you were faster than Kimi in all the winter tests and that has made you the favourite for many experts including Bernie Ecclestone. How does this make you feel?
FM: Well, nothing. I don’t feel (I am the) favourite and I will never feel (that). I think you have to do the job, day by day, many things in Formula One change very quickly and the most important thing is to keep working hard with the feet on the ground and do our job and in the end there are 17 races to go it is starting now and everything people say happens and you have just to take it into consideration and to do your job - that is (the) most important thing for me.
Q: (Ottavio Daviddi - Tuttosport) There are many rumours about the possibility of racing under artificial lights. I would like to know your opinions on that?
FM: The same comment. The most important it is to have a great visibility like you have during the day and I think if that is possible, then maybe: why not? But you have to make sure everything is perfectly safe for us to race at night.
Q: (Livio Oricchio – O Estado de Sao Paulo) On Sunday, we have a race without Michael Schumacher. Does it mean anything to you?
FM: First of all, he is a legend. He gave a lot to Formula One and he proved a lot and my opinion is that he was the most complete driver in Formula One since a long time and I think people will miss him, especially in the beginning of the championship. As long as the championship starts to be more interesting and attractive, with more competition going on, I think people will start to get used to Formula One without Michael. That’s the way it is and how it was with some big champions in the past, so I think it will be in a similar way… |
