Felipe Massa: There is no better place than Spa to return to racing

I am preparing to leave Sao Paulo and return to Europe where the Belgian Grand Prix will take place this weekend. I spent all my free time after the race in Hungary at home here in Brazil.

Usually, when you go on holiday there is always some trip involved but, with all the trips that characterize my job, for me the ideal holidays are those spent at home, without having to see airports, sit on a plane and sleep in hotel rooms. So this was my perfect break: at home, with family, trying to see what happened during this period and meeting old friends. Usually, when I spend some time in Brazil I get a little saudade at the start but the fact of knowing that I'm about to race again is the best incentive to get on the plane to Munich.

It is currently winter in Brazil but the temperature during the day is still 23 or 24 degrees centigrade: nothing to complain about! If it wasn't for the physical training, I really had the chance to switch off for a while, although last week I went to the Interlagos circuit, where the Grand Prix will take place in early November. My family is hosting a motorsports event and it was still nice to hear the roar of the engines again. There are three different categories, all with the collaboration of FIAT. There is the Formula Future, with open wheels, similar to Formula 2 which, as the name suggests, is aimed at identifying young talents from the next generation of drivers: it is a good start for racing in our country, as for many years it has not there is a real “school” for single-seaters and we really wanted to do something for motorsport in Brazil. Furthermore, there is a category for Touring cars with the Fiat Linea and one reserved for 600 cc motorcycles. Interlagos was the third stage of the series and for me it was fun to be on the track without the pressure of having to race!

Even though I have had a very quiet holiday, I am perfectly ready for the Spa weekend, considering that I have always kept in touch with my engineers, who are also on holiday. We should be in good shape, with updates on the way as part of the F10's ongoing development programme. The last time I raced at Spa dates back to 2008: it's not just because I won that race that I love this track! I think all the drivers can't wait to race on this fabulous track: high speeds are reached and less downforce is needed than on many other tracks. Furthermore, fortunately in the last few races we have shown that we are very competitive again, perhaps more than we expected. Furthermore, it is very difficult to make predictions about what might happen, as the differences between the teams are small and vary depending on the circuits where they race. As always, we will have to wait for free practice on Friday before we can get an idea of ​​how things will go.

There are only seven races to go and I believe that the spectators and fans will be able to have a very exciting show in this last part of the championship while for us who are competing there will be a little more tension. Furthermore, both Ferrari and I have already found ourselves in a situation like this and we know how to manage the pressure, remaining focused on our work.

Now we have to continue on the path we started before the break, remaining competitive and fighting for the top positions. I'm certainly very motivated: even though I had a good time on this short holiday, I have to say that I missed driving my car and I can't imagine a better place than Spa where I can start racing again. Even if it were to rain - it's difficult to imagine a Belgian Grand Prix in the dry - it's a very fun track, in fact it becomes even more so with water. For our part, it will be important to be ready to get the most out of this weekend.