Q&A
WorldMags.net
FELIPE MASSA
IN CONVERSATION WITH…
W
illiams played its cards close
to its chest during pre-season
testing, during which its
programme had all the hallmarks
of a frontrunning team. It was
confident, kept itself to itself and got
on with the job it wanted to do.
And rightly so, because last year the
former world-beater enjoyed its most
successful season in more than 10 years.
Felipe Massa was a big part of that.
He is as aware as anyone else that he
became a shadow of his former self at Ferrari,
but he was almost unrecognisable last season,
taking pole in Austria and chasing down
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi
before narrowly falling short of victory.
Here, the 2008 world championship
runner-up explains what’s been key to
SEASON
40
the revival, why it was satisfying to stick
one to his critics last year, and why winning
again is the main aim for this season.
Scott Mitchell: The FW36 was so nearly
a race-winning car. What has the team
looked to improve from last year to take
it to the next level?
Felipe Massa: We’ve worked to try to make
the car more stable, and it is. Not a big amount,
but we do not have the full package anyway
[in testing]. I think when we have everything
we should understand if it’s the step we
expected or not. At the moment it’s a little bit
better, but we still have a lot to understand.
SM: And has Williams made a step forward
as a team over the winter?
FM: Yeah, I think so. I think the team is still
growing and it’s improving in areas we believe
we still need to improve. But I think it’s going
in the right direction, so I believe the team will
be much more ready and organised compared
to how we were last season. We’re pushing
to maybe have new parts and improvements
earlier than before, trying to organise the team
to be more efficient. And this is something
that makes a big difference. If you’re the best,
most efficient team doing a proper job, the
result is improved.
SM: A couple of times last year you were
knocked off your stride. How important will
a good start and maintaining confidence be?
FM: I think a good start is always important.
I was not very lucky in many races at the start
of last year. It’s a new season, so we need to
prepare to do everything right, and getting
XPB IMAGES
‘‘My relationship with the team is right. When
I say something they listen and they try to do it’’
New car feels more stable
than last year’s FW36
40 AUTOSPORT.COM MARCH 5 2015
WorldMags.net
Williams and Massa
are a good fit; he feels
valued within the team
DUNBAR/LAT
PREVIEW
Felipe Massa almost won the 2008 world championship. But some think he’s not been the same
since his serious accident in ’09. SCOTT MITCHELL talks to him about his Williams renaissance