Felipe Massa more calm at Williams environment

A "calmer" environment may have contributed to the return to form of former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa. In 2008, the Brazilian went wheel-to-wheel with Lewis Hamilton for the world championship, but a year later he was fighting for his life after the qualifying accident in Hungary.

Massa admitted to Spain's El Confidencial that when he returned in 2010, he entered a period of form that was the "worst" in his entire racing career.

"A lot of people thought 'well, ok Felipe, what a shame'," revealed Pat Symonds, the technical boss at Massa's new team, Williams.

"What we found at Williams is that we have awakened him," he told F1's official website, revealing that the Massa of late last season was "a Felipe that we haven't seen in years".

Some believe the reason for Massa's resurgence is that while he struggled to deal with the pressure of being Fernando Alonso's teammate, life at Williams is much calmer.

"Life at Williams is calmer, for sure," the 33-year-old and 11-time grand prix winner admitted.

"You have to work as hard as at Ferrari, but it is simpler," Massa explained.

"Only the racing matters; the other stuff not so much. So you have the mindset only to make the car better, to think about the racing.

"Ferrari is fantastic, strong, great, beautiful, but with so much pressure and so many things that are not important that all comes together at once.

"Here (at Williams), the only thing that matters is the work," he added.

And Massa said he is not the only driver who has been struggling at Ferrari in recent history.

"I think the biggest problem was the mental side," he admitted.

"I suffered a lot for a while, but eventually it got better, I improved that side and people have seen that Kimi (Raikkonen) struggles even more than I did.

"So maybe they (Ferrari) found someone who suffers (with it) even more."

Massa hopes that, after he and Valtteri Bottas shone in the 2014 Williams, race wins and even a title bid might be possible this year.

"I hope," he admitted.

"It is possible, but the car is still new and we have to see where all the others are -- if there is a team that has invented something amazing.

"But with the work and the mentality of our team, who knows if this year I can fight again for wins and, who knows, for the championship," said Massa.

Replies (0)

Login to reply

AZ Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

AZAzerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16 2025
Australia
21 - Mar 23 2025
China
4 - Apr 6 2025
Japan
11 - Apr 13 2025
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20 2025
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4 2025
United States of America
16 - May 18 2025
Italy
23 - May 25 2025
Monaco
30 - Jun 1 2025
Spain
13 - Jun 15 2025
Canada
27 - Jun 29 2025
Austria
4 - Jul 6 2025
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27 2025
Belgium
1 - Aug 3 2025
Hungary
29 - Aug 31 2025
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7 2025
Italy
19 - Sep 21 2025
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5 2025
Singapore
17 - Oct 19 2025
United States of America
24 - Oct 26 2025
Mexico
7 - Nov 9 2025
Brazil
21 - Nov 23 2025
United States of America
28 - Nov 30 2025
Qatar
5 - Dec 7 2025
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16 2025
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23 2025
4 - Apr 6 2025
11 - Apr 13 2025
18 - Apr 20 2025
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4 2025
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18 2025
23 - May 25 2025
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1 2025
13 - Jun 15 2025
27 - Jun 29 2025
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6 2025
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27 2025
1 - Aug 3 2025
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31 2025
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7 2025
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21 2025
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5 2025
17 - Oct 19 2025
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26 2025
7 - Nov 9 2025
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23 2025
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30 2025
5 - Dec 7 2025
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Country Spain
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (44)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, Spain
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar