Ferrari, Felipe Massa: “Racing in your home race is really important”

When you're born in a country where the entire population seems to be crazy about Formula 1, being the home driver means having most of your time occupied and so, after a few days dedicated to a series of sponsors and charity events, Felipe Massa was also summoned to today's FIA press conference at the Interlagos circuit, which this weekend hosts the nineteenth and final round of the F1 World Championship.

“For all of us,” said the Ferrari driver, also referring to his other Brazilian colleagues Bruno Senna and Rubens Barrichello, “this race is like a race within the race, because racing at home is really important. I achieved two victories here and for this reason my hope is to have another positive weekend. Then, from Sunday evening it will be time to focus one hundred percent on next year."

On a more technical than emotional topic, the home driver was asked about the possibility of seeing a lot of overtaking here on Sunday. Of course, if you pass a car on the pit straight, where you don't have DRS available, then it's true, the car you just passed can pass you on the next straight, where the wing can be moved, so there could be many overtaking situations.

The Paulista revealed that he is relying on the crowd of fans to support him this weekend: “We have nothing new on the car compared to the last races, although we will test the front wing again and I hope it will work well this weekend, without the vibration problem that I have already suffered. But I feel some more energy from the people here and I hope I can aim for the podium, because on Sunday I really want to get my best result of this championship. Interlagos is very special for me, given that it was here that I started my career "beyond the wall", as we called it, the karting track and, as a boy, I used to come to watch Ayrton and Nelson race."