Starting from zero - Massa
Another season gets underway with yet another FIA press conference and Felipe Massa joined Kubica, Button and Vettel on stage at the Albert Park circuit this afternoon. Felipe, sporting his winter-grown goatee beard, was naturally cautious about his hopes for the coming season, despite the fact that the journalists always expect the drivers to be able to tell the future.
"At the moment we start from zero," pointed out the Ferrari man. "All twenty drivers start from the same point, all of us fighting to win the championship. Only later in the year will it come down to a battle between two or three or five guys."
As for what he would like to see changed from last year, Massa had a well thought out wish list: "I hope we have a car as competitive as last year, but maybe a bit more reliable with a team that is working very efficiently on one hundred percent of the details. That is what we have been working on all winter, when we took everything we learned from last year and worked very hard on improving in the areas we needed to improve on."
None of the drivers on the panel seemed to feel that elements like KERS or the adjustable front wing would make a big difference to the actual racing, but they were unanimous in their approval of the return to slicks. "The tyres make a big difference to driving the cars," said Felipe. "You can be very aggressive with them when they are new, however once they are worn, you slide much more than last year on grooved tyres and you have to adopt a smoother driving style."
For the final two questions, Felipe had to get out his crystal ball and when asked where he felt Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro was in the pecking order he replied that he wasn't sure. "But I do think the Brawns are better than anyone else, so maybe we will be fighting for third place - I hope not." And with McLaren themselves claiming they were in trouble with their car, did Felipe think the Anglo-German team was sandbagging. "I have no idea so please ask them. But given their history you must always respect McLaren."
