Ferrari, Massa: “I race without thinking about the future”

Three times two equals six is ​​a very simple multiplication but when you look at these numbers from the perspective of a participant in the final phase of the Formula 1 season, it represents a complex and demanding series of three pairs of races taking place over two consecutive weekends . Each of them requires a considerable commitment to manage the logistical material shipped by sea and air in the shortest possible time as well as, from a sporting point of view, the need for the teams still fighting for the two titles to continue to push for development of the car. This last aspect means that even the men and women who remained in the team headquarters experience a very intense period of work, even if devoid of the joys deriving from frequenting commercial airlines...

The next few weeks will offer fans a real Formula 1 celebration while those who support a driver or a team will also have some moments of tension linked to the events. The drivers will also have the obligation to keep perfectly fit while they find themselves in the midst of Grands Prix, travel and hotel changes. The cycle begins with a physically demanding race like that of Suzuka, home of the Japanese Grand Prix, as Felipe Massa explains: "The preparation is more or less similar to other races, even if it is true that Suzuka is quite demanding due to the driving from a physical point of view. The presence of many fast turns means that you have to use a lot of muscular strength in those points, which means that you work more than usual on the neck muscles in order to prepare to manage the high lateral accelerations, in addition to carrying out the usual work on the heart through aerobic exercises. In general, in this last part of the year we prepare to manage a period in which we travel a lot. The Suzuka runway is not very close to any intercontinental airports and it takes a bit of a drive to get there. Furthermore, immediately afterwards there is the race in Korea so it becomes important to arrive in Japan early also to adapt to the different time zone.”

The Brazilian driver climbed onto the podium of the Japanese Grand Prix, precisely on the second step, the year in which, 2006, he also had the honor of taking the pole position. “Suzuka is a difficult and complex track, where a driver can make the difference by being aggressive in the fast corners” – says Felipe – “Being the strongest in qualifying certainly gives a good feeling. That race was good, even though I had to stop well ahead of schedule due to a tire problem, which meant I lost position to Fernando, who was then with another team. At the time Michael was fighting for the title but his engine failed, which cost him the championship. Despite everything, it was a good race for me: I came second after an exciting battle with the winner.”

What would it mean to repeat an identical result in 2012? “It would be fantastic, obviously, and very important for our position in both championships” – says Felipe – “Even if it will be tough, this weekend I would really like to be able to fight for pole and victory again. Our car can be competitive at Suzuka because there are many fast corners that suit the F2012, as seen at Silverstone: these two tracks have several characteristics in common, in terms of downforce and set-up. In fact, I hope that we will be more competitive on all the remaining tracks of the World Championship: every race is very important, for Fernando, for the team and for me too of course! We are aware that we have to work hard to achieve this between now and the end of the championship.”

Felipe's future has been one of the hot topics since the start of the season but the Brazilian driver shows no sign of feeling any particular pressure: “It's clear that my future is important but now what matters most are the results , which means I have to concentrate race by race. I know what I am capable of doing to the team and what my capabilities are. The team knows this too, as they have been here for more than a day or a year! The best way to deal with the situation is to run without worrying about the future.”

The situation in the two championships is very uncertain, with the balance of power changing from match to match. Felipe believes that Ferrari did a great job after a very complicated start to the season: “The car changed a lot after the Mugello test and then we continued to develop it. We brought new solutions to virtually every race. The objective is to have at least one point more than our opponents at the last race so I hope we can improve even more in this final part of the championship compared to what we have done so far.”

The Suzuka circuit has often been the scene of very intense races, ending with the crowning of a world champion as dusk fell on this fantastic track but that will not happen this year. Furthermore, we can expect a large influx of Japanese public, always enthusiastic and competent, for what will be the twenty-third edition of the Japanese Grand Prix on this track, the first dating back to 1987 when the Austrian Gerhard Berger won at the steering wheel of a Ferrari. In total the Scuderia has won this Grand Prix seven times. Fernando has won twice, always when he was with another team, while last year's second place was his best result as a Ferrari driver. As in Monza and Interlagos, Suzuka is a circuit where the public makes it clear which country they are in and Felipe is a big fan: “I like Japan and its people, their lifestyle and their education. Furthermore, I like Japanese food, which I eat wherever I am in the world: but doing it here is special. I am always very happy to go to Tokyo and always try to spend a few days there. On the track, the enthusiasm of the spectators makes this weekend truly special.”