Category: Ferrari

Ferrari’s post-race blog published after the Spanish Grand Prix has urged Felipe Massa to never give up. But not before it placed his output from the 2012 season to date firmly in the spotlight.

Interestingly, it starts with Team Principal Stefano Domenicali drawing inspiration from Manchester City’s dramatic last gasp victory to claim the English Premier League title. “You always have to believe you can do it, even when the evidence has you believe the contrary,” he said.

While watching the drama unfold in the EPL over the weekend we paused to reflect on Ferrari and Felipe Massa, too. Although, we had him in the role of the red half of Manchester who, for a brief moment, believed they had won the title, only to see it snatched away before the thought of victory had a chance to settle. Sao Paulo in 2008 anyone?

The blog goes on to make the point that this has been a desperately close start to the championship: “With everyone so close the distribution of points is much wider and consequently the leaders have fewer points. Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, the joint leaders of the Drivers’ championship, have 61 points from the first five races, the lowest figure since the new points system was introduced: Button had 70 in 2010, with Vettel even on 118 last year.”

Then it sinks a not-so-subtle boot into Massa’s points haul to date: “As for an analysis of the Scuderia’s performance and its two drivers, Fernando has always maintained a very high level (67 points and second place in 2010, 51 and fifth place last year) while Felipe’s drop off has made itself felt. The Brazilian had picked up 49 points two years ago and 24 the following year, while so far this season he has just 2.”

Finally, some delicate pressure is applied to Massa to increase his performance: “In Montmelo, Felipe was very unlucky, both in the race and in qualifying, but everyone, he more than anyone, is expecting a change of gear starting right away with the Monaco Grand Prix…”

Meanwhile, Adam Cooper reports former Force India driver Adrian Sutil was trackside in Barcelona and is known to have had discussions with Ferrari in recent weeks.

Now might be a good time to pull your finger out Felipe.

In addition to the still pictures Ferrari gave to mark their tribute to Gilles Villeneuve here’s a selection of videos to go with. We start with Jacques Villeneuve’s drive of the Ferrari 312 T4 at Fiorano.

We also recommend you check out this old TV interview with Gilles (embedding of clip has been disabled).

Yesterday, 8 May, marked the thirtieth anniversary of Gilles Villeneueve’s death. He was killed in an accident during qualifying at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix.

Ferrari honoured the memory of the flamboyant legend by inviting his son, Jacques, to Fiorano to drive the same 312 T4 that his father drove to three Grand Prix wins in 1979.

Jacques, 1997 F1 World Champion, was 10 when his father passed away. Speaking at Fiorano yesterday he shared his memories: “The whole family always went to the races and we lived in the motorhome…it was much better than going to school!

“Most of the memories I have are from the race track, sitting down watching the races. So ninety percent of what I remember of my father is him as a driver, not home very often, always on the go and if he wasn’t in a car, then it was a helicopter or a plane. But that seemed normal, he was my father.

“I think I am lucky to be driving at a time when cars are safer, otherwise maybe I’d be dead too, given that like him, by nature, I tend to go always right to the limit.”

Jacques was asked how he thought his father would have reacted to him racing: “He would have been happy, because it was his dream to see me become a racing driver.”

After the break there’s over 20 photos from yesterdays event along with three press releases from Ferrari.