These days, the idea of Felipe Massa finishing ahead of Fernando
Alonso in the end of year standings seems faintly ridiculous. For
all his effort, the forlorn Brazilian has not been quite the same
driver since recovering from head injuries sustained in qualifying
for the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. Up until that point he looked to
be the real thing - a proven race winner, and a future world
champion. But the cold, hard fact is this: he has not won a race in
more than three years, and last year became the first Ferrari
driver in three decades to fail to score a single podium. Is he
finished?
Maybe not. For all the critics writing him off, there is still a
spark there. Let's not forget thatMassawas - and is - a
phenomenally talented racing driver. A former Formula Chevrolet,
Formula Renault 2000 and Euro F3000 champion, Felipe consistently
outperformed team-mate and former world champion Jacques Villenueve
over the course of two difficult seasons at Sauber. Upon joining
Ferrari, he immediately provided a stiff challenge to Schumacher,
taking the first two of his eleven wins to date. When Raikkonen
arrived, the highly rated Finn appeared to be a shade quicker - but
the Brazilian struck back and clearly held the upper hand by the
end of their partnership. Prior to Fernando Alonso's arrival in
Maranello, Felipe Massa had gone up against three world champions
and come out very favourably indeed.
It is this fourth world champion that he seems to have a problem
with. The two first raced together in the season-opening 2010
Bahrain Grand Prix. Alonso had spent the previous twelve months
battling a sluggish Renault, whilstMassawas making his return
having fully recovered from his life threatening accident. They
came together and scored a one-two finish, with the double world
champion leading the Brazilian home. By grapping an opportunistic
debut win for the Prancing Horse, Alonso seized the initiative.
Since then, the status quo has been maintained. But Felipe
wasn't dormant that season - in fact, he briefly stole the lead of
the championship race from his team-mate with a string of
consistent results. And then there wasGermany, an event which
sticks long in the memory.Massastole a march on his rivals and went
for broke, and was successfully fending off Alonso when the coded
message came through to let the team's favoured title prospect
through. Felipe finished second, and couldn't have looked more
despondent. His fighting spirit appeared broken, and that was that.
The Brazilian was consistent enough last season, scoring fifteen
good points finishes - but in a difficult Ferrari F150 Italia, he
didn't show the searing pace that made so nearly made him world
champion. Alonso, meanwhile, picked up a solitary symbolic win at
Silverstone.
There is no doubt that Alonso is now the team's darling. For two
years in a row, he has been the man putting them in contention -
for podiums, wins and titles. Despite Felipe's nine year
association with the team, he has been sidelined. He has come to
emulate his friend Rubens Barrichello.
But this time, there is hope. Under Schumacher, the hierarchy
was strictly enforced on the basis that Michael was Michael, and
that was that. Alonso has not yet achieved a totally iron grip on
the Scuderia, the door is still open for Felipe to mount a coup
with the support of his loyal and passionate race engineer Rob
Smedley. But he needs to harness every inch of self belief and make
it happen: last year, we saw him lead races and, briefly, the title
race itself. This year the press circled as his spat with
LewisHamiltonbecame ever more public, but virtually ignoredMassaon
the several occasions on which he outqualified and outraced his
illustrious team-mate. Quite simply, there is still real potential
there - and Alonso is not infallible.
The question now is whether Felipe feels able to exploit his
position. He has come back from an injury that could have ended his
career. He is a proven race winner. He has taken the fight to a
trio of world champions already. He knows that on his day, he can
beat Alonso - and if he can beat Alonso, he can beat anyone in the
world. Now all Felipe needs to do is ensure that every day is his
day.