Felipe Massa ‘not surprised’ by Ferrari’s downfall in Formula One

Ferrari las won the world championship in 2007

Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa says he isn’t surprised by the team’s decline as their best years came when seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher competed for them.

Ferrari had their worst season for 40 years in 2020 but they improved upon that in the 2021 campaign with drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. But Massa says Ferrari’s problems are down to the car, not the drivers.

“That did not surprise me,” he told Spanish daily AS. “Ferrari’s best years were with [Michael] Schumacher, then 2006, 2007, 2008.

“After 2009, Ferrari was no longer the team of the hour. There have been many changes and it is important to keep a cool head. That is difficult at Ferrari.

“Ferrari’s problem is not a driver problem, it’s a car problem, a team problem. Sainz and Leclerc form a very important driver pairing.”

Massa says the new car regulations for the 2022 season could see Ferrari back in the title race but the usual suspects will also be in the mix.

“If there are big changes there can be surprises, although that’s difficult,” he added. “I think the big teams will still be at the top, like Mercedes and Red Bull. But maybe also Ferrari or McLaren. Usually the big teams are more likely to start the year at the top.

“I hope that with the changes Ferrari can win again in 2022. I’m a Ferrarist. But it’s not easy. It takes a lot of hard work and a cool head to get good results.”

The 2022 F1 season will get underway in March at the Bahrain Grand Prix.