Felipe Massa to remain at Ferrari for 2013

Felipe Massa

Ferrari have confirmed that Felipe Massa will remain at the team for 2013.

The Brazilian’s race seat had been under threat following lacklustre displays in the past few seasons, but results over the last two grands prix have been enough to keep him at the Scuderia until the end of next year.

Massa met with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo after the Korean Grand Prix in order to sign the new deal, and the Italian team on their website released a very short statement which read: “Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has renewed its contract with the driver Felipe Massa to the end of the 2013 race season.

“The Scuderia’s driver line-up for next year is therefore made up of Fernando Alonso and the aforementioned Felipe Massa.”

Massa has finished second in Japan and fourth in Korea over the last two races, and will now enter an eighth year with Ferrari having become one of their drivers back in 2006.

A delighted Massa said: “I'm extremely happy with this agreement. Ferrari is my sporting family and I've always raced in Formula One with engines built in Maranello: I can't see myself at the wheel of a single-seater powered by other engines.

"I want to first of all thank president Montezemolo and Stefano Domenicali, who have put their faith in me and have always supported me, even at the most difficult times.

"Both of them, the team and every fan can be certain that I will do everything within my possibilities to help the Scuderia in reaching the goals it sets for itself every year.”

Ferrari team principal Domenicali believes that Massa will repay the faith to the team.

“We are happy to have lengthened the relationship with Felipe for one further year,” he said. “He has been part of our family for more than 10 years and he has demonstrated, especially in this last part of the season, to be again competitive at the maximum levels, as is expected of every driver at the wheel of a Ferrari.

"We have always supported Felipe, even during the most difficult moments of his career, and we are certain of his worth and that he will be able to repay the faith that has again been put on him.”

Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher has backed Mercedes’ decision to replace him with Lewis Hamilton next year.

It was confirmed a few weeks ago that Hamilton would take the place of the seven-time world champion from 2013, while Schumacher confirmed that he will retire at the end of the season for a second time in his career.

There were suggestions that Schumacher was forced out of the German outfit, but the 43-year-old has rubbished those rumours, saying if it was up to him, he would have brought Hamilton to the team as well.

“No”, was Schumacher’s answer as to whether he was given the boot by Mercedes. “Those in charge of Mercedes had repeatedly emphasised that even after this season they would like to continue working with me.

“It was not for another year, but rather a further two years. With that in mind, even for a year, it would have been difficult. Inwardly, I probably prepared myself unconsciously already for retirement several months ago.

And honestly, if you can sign Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes, then you have to get him. I would have done the same, he is the right choice,” Schumacher added.

Schumacher first retired back in 2006, but after sitting out of Formula One for a while made a surprising comeback in 2010.

He hasn’t enjoyed the best of times in his second career, only finishing on the podium once. This season, he has retired an incredible seven times, but he did set the fastest time at the Monaco Grand Prix in qualifying, and would have started from pole position had he not been carrying a grid-penalty.

Schumacher feels the time is now right to call it a day once again, and said: “I look forward to my retirement- I would like to put it. I think that given the circumstances I made the right decision.”

Asked about whether he regretted coming out of retirement, Schumacher said: “Absolutely not. These three years have given me quite a lot. I have experienced Formula One from a different perspective, I have developed personally.”

İsmail Vedat

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