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Massa's couple of wins in Brazil will always stand out. Rubens never managed to do it (often through bad luck) whilst Senna through sometimes poor machinery and the emotion of the home crowd only had the couple of wins there himself.

The 2008 race will definitely stand out as I always compare to 1999 as "No.2" Ferrari drivers in the title hunt, and whilst my fellow Irishman Irvine cracked in a similar race environment at the Nurburgring that year with incidents/changeable weather etc., Massa drove an outstanding race in Brazil in '08 and but for the last corner, we could be talking about 'World Champion' Felipe Massa. But as it is, a few big wins and a real title challenge is probably a fair reflection on Massa as a driver.

That was also my first thought.

That's what you wish.

And this is what you get.



Massa is retiring good time for him. He can't keep up with Bottas anymore and is prone to do mistakes like in Qualifying at Spa. He might have had a shot, but he ruined his tires instead in T1.

Other than that, I remember him from:

- Silverstone spin'o'rama with Sauber.
- Desert fox nickname he earned when winning and taking so many poles in Bahrain.
- Singapore pitstop incident in 2008 that cost him the title. Crasgate was the reason for that early pitstop.
- 2008 Brazil and his family celebrating. But what a great man he was when standing on the podium and facing his home crowd. I bet everyone in the stands lived by his actions. Had Massa been angry, there would have been an angry mob.
- Hungary 2009.
- Hockenheim 2010.
- "Felipe, baby."
- Pole at Austria 2014.
- Flip at Hockenheim 2014 start.
- That nice Brazilian theme overall he had in 2006 when he won his home grand prix.
- The Brazilian TV coverage when he takes the chequered flag: https://youtu.be/mfWfVME3TkE?t=5m26s

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"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

I remember him for being a number 2, that 2008 early celebration, Fernando is faster than you.

I also believe that the williams seat isn't available because he is retiring, I believe Williams signed someone to be with Bottas in 2017 and Massa was left without a ride, and lets be honest, what other team would want to sign massa.

I will definately remember him for the lame Bridgestone ads he made when he was winning at Ferrari



but something that worries me is that for the first time since 1969 a race grid will not feature a brazilian driver. obviously it'll not be shown again on free-to-air tv anymore and the ratings will drop even more (in which I doubt because F1 viewers in Brazil doesn't watch anymore for a brazilian driver, are just there for the rare moments of good racing)

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Motorsports trend for 2024: climate change ruining races everywhere

Gutted to see another driver I've grown up watching retire, he's been one of the drivers I've followed and cheered on over the years, but he's past his best (has been for a few years but still hoped he would spring a couple more decent results). Bottas has hardly blown him away though which should bring into question his future in F1 (albeit Valterri has been the more consistent of the two).

All the best Felipe Baby!

Nice to hear how well all ya'll rate Nasr

quite possible he can't secure a ride for next year

if he does great, but he went to the president to convince Renault to hire him and his sponsor (a public bank) didn't liked that much and might cut his backing

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Motorsports trend for 2024: climate change ruining races everywhere

Massa hasn't been the most competitive the last few years but he didn't turn into Jacques Villeneuve either, he was genuinely quick before his injury and he seems like a pretty nice guy, so I don't see the point in flogging a dead horse. I'll miss him.

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As a driver I won't really miss him, but the person that Felipe is will be greatly missed, great guy.

I think this is fair. He definitely carried some of his 2008 form into 2009, but was never the same after his accident - a bit like Olivier Panis really. There were some entertaining races, like the incredible pass on I-don't-remember-who at Singapore. It does seem strange that so many people slate him to such an extent - he hasn't been a top driver for years now, but I wouldn't call him a waste of space - Williams obviously saw value in him, and this is a team that is not known for keeping a driver around for sentimental reasons, is it?

I think Fabs and Philthy82 sum it up best. He may not be the 2008 Massa, but by all accounts he is one of the nicest people in the paddock. I will always remember him for the way he lost the title in 2008, and how he dealt with it.

He's always been the nice guy, the innocent, the one who gets the short end and still always be nice about it. I've only ever seen him pissed off after the finish at Nurburgring one year when he fought with Alonso and he wasn't happy with their contact. He's just never been the killer you need to be in F1 to get championships. Just like Rubens.

In the immediate aftermath of the Brazilian race yes, he was incredibly dignified in accepting defeating. But in the following years and after the Renault / Piquet / race fixing scandal broke, he bitched and moaned, obsessing that Singapore was the only reason he lost the 2008 title while completely ignoring everything else that happened through the season. Like two errors and spins, and two zero scores in the first two races of the season.

Massa has had a very accomplished F1 career considering his initial 2002 season and form. But like his tenure at Ferrari, he's outstayed his welcome by a couple of years.

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That's overstating it just a bit. I recall him making one comment about it after the news broke, a far cry from "bitching, moaning and obsessing". I doubt anyone in F1 even remembers those comments anymore so outside of the minds of motorsport forum members with wikipedia memories I don't know how it's a big enough issue to tar his legacy.

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Anyone else seen Heineken's first F1-themed ad? Considering the obvious issues with a beer company sponsoring something centered on driving, this is quite a brilliant take:



How many other companies advertise their product by showing someone refusing to use it

Perez has apparently signed for Force India

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Very bold commercial. Good one too

using classic F1 to advertise your product, you're doing it right

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Motorsports trend for 2024: climate change ruining races everywhere

Button's retiring

Tast commercial, and actually a good product. Well done, Heineken.

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"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."