Felipe Massa was lucky to escape with his life during qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix after a stray suspension spring struck the Ferrari driver on the head at a speed of around 160mph. The object brutally shattered the Brazilian’s helmet striking him just above the left eye leaving him in a life-threatening condition.
Thankfully the 11-time racer winner slowly recovered making his F1 return at the start of the 2010 season back in the red of Ferrari. Many pundits questioned whether Massa would return a different man and whether fear may have clouded his desire to win. There could be some truth to that as the Brazilian has gone from title contender to second fiddle at Ferrari since he returned to the sport.
Although it's all too easy to point to his horrific accident and suggest this is the reason for Massa's decline overall the Brazilian has had some rotten misfortune for some time and could certainly challenge Red Bul's Mark Webber for the crown of the sport's unluckiest driver. Look at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2008, this is when his spirit probably started to waver, he crossed the line in the season decider effectively as the World Champion resulting in premature celebrations in the Ferrari garages.
Only for Lewis Hamilton to overtake a slowing Timo Glock on the final corner to secure a fifth place finish which gave the Englishman his first championship as the floods opened in Interlagos and the rain came down on Massa's title dreams. This was an exhilarating finish for fans watching all around the world but to say this was cruel on Massa does't cover it. There's a horrible realisation moment where the cameras homed in on the Brazilian's father, Luiz Antonio, as his celebrations are cut short noticing that Hamilton got the result he needed securing the championship by a solitary point ahead of Massa.
This has to be the moment where Massa lost something as it must have been such a bitter pill to swallow before that he'd always ran his team-mates, Kimi Raikkonen and previously Michael Schumacher, close giving as good as he got but now it has very much been established that Fernando Alonso is Ferrari's title-fighter. Placing Massa in the position of rear gunner and with the horrible understanding that his best chance to win a title has passed him by.
F1 has always been a sport of being in the right place at the right time, ask Jenson Button in 2009, a driver has to take their opportunity as there's no guarantee it'll come around again. Even leading up to his accident in 2009 it was clear to see Massa was a changed man. He competed in 10 races only mounting the podium once and failing to win a Grand Prix.
Since his return he's not won a race either although he did come close to victory at the German Grand Prix in 2010 when he was cruelly denied an emotional win, his first since his accident and since his championship heartache in Brazil, but this was sacrificed for the sake of team-mate Fernando Alonso's title challenge. Massa, who was cruising at the front, got a radio message from engineer Rob Smedley saying: "Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?" Soon after Alonso passed and the Spaniard took the victory with Smedley messaging a very quiet Massa to say: "Ok mate good lad, stick with him now, sorry." This left a very sour taste given all that Massa had been through and it resulted in Ferrari getting a fine for breaking the rules.
That was a significant moment though as it put into place for all the world to see who Ferrari's number one and number two drivers were. Two races into the new season Massa still looks destined to become one of Formula One's nearly men as there has been no sharp turn in form although he could have gained a rare podium at this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix if it hadn't have been for a dodgy first pit-stop instead he finished fifth. It's a pity for the Brazilian as he has pace in abundance, race winning pedigree and potential but one thing that he's severely lacking is luck. To be a success at anything your ability needs to complemented by a fair bit of luck and lucky is one thing Massa's career certainly hasn't been.
Originally posted on www.virgin.com
Thankfully the 11-time racer winner slowly recovered making his F1 return at the start of the 2010 season back in the red of Ferrari. Many pundits questioned whether Massa would return a different man and whether fear may have clouded his desire to win. There could be some truth to that as the Brazilian has gone from title contender to second fiddle at Ferrari since he returned to the sport.
Although it's all too easy to point to his horrific accident and suggest this is the reason for Massa's decline overall the Brazilian has had some rotten misfortune for some time and could certainly challenge Red Bul's Mark Webber for the crown of the sport's unluckiest driver. Look at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2008, this is when his spirit probably started to waver, he crossed the line in the season decider effectively as the World Champion resulting in premature celebrations in the Ferrari garages.
Only for Lewis Hamilton to overtake a slowing Timo Glock on the final corner to secure a fifth place finish which gave the Englishman his first championship as the floods opened in Interlagos and the rain came down on Massa's title dreams. This was an exhilarating finish for fans watching all around the world but to say this was cruel on Massa does't cover it. There's a horrible realisation moment where the cameras homed in on the Brazilian's father, Luiz Antonio, as his celebrations are cut short noticing that Hamilton got the result he needed securing the championship by a solitary point ahead of Massa.
This has to be the moment where Massa lost something as it must have been such a bitter pill to swallow before that he'd always ran his team-mates, Kimi Raikkonen and previously Michael Schumacher, close giving as good as he got but now it has very much been established that Fernando Alonso is Ferrari's title-fighter. Placing Massa in the position of rear gunner and with the horrible understanding that his best chance to win a title has passed him by.
F1 has always been a sport of being in the right place at the right time, ask Jenson Button in 2009, a driver has to take their opportunity as there's no guarantee it'll come around again. Even leading up to his accident in 2009 it was clear to see Massa was a changed man. He competed in 10 races only mounting the podium once and failing to win a Grand Prix.
Since his return he's not won a race either although he did come close to victory at the German Grand Prix in 2010 when he was cruelly denied an emotional win, his first since his accident and since his championship heartache in Brazil, but this was sacrificed for the sake of team-mate Fernando Alonso's title challenge. Massa, who was cruising at the front, got a radio message from engineer Rob Smedley saying: "Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?" Soon after Alonso passed and the Spaniard took the victory with Smedley messaging a very quiet Massa to say: "Ok mate good lad, stick with him now, sorry." This left a very sour taste given all that Massa had been through and it resulted in Ferrari getting a fine for breaking the rules.
That was a significant moment though as it put into place for all the world to see who Ferrari's number one and number two drivers were. Two races into the new season Massa still looks destined to become one of Formula One's nearly men as there has been no sharp turn in form although he could have gained a rare podium at this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix if it hadn't have been for a dodgy first pit-stop instead he finished fifth. It's a pity for the Brazilian as he has pace in abundance, race winning pedigree and potential but one thing that he's severely lacking is luck. To be a success at anything your ability needs to complemented by a fair bit of luck and lucky is one thing Massa's career certainly hasn't been.
Originally posted on www.virgin.com
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