The latest auto news, reviews, prices, product and vehicle releases. Apr
6th
Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
Felipe Massa could put his name on a humble title during next week's Chinese Grand Prix.
The Brazilian is set to become the first ever teammate to out-qualify Fernando Alonso in five consecutive races.
Massa, who suffered a horrible crash in 2009 and then endured three seasons in the shadow of Ferrari's unquestioned leader Alonso, turned things around at the end of 2012, out-qualifying his teammate in the last two rounds of the season.
And thus far in 2013, he has also out-qualified Alonso twice (out of two), in Australia and Malaysia.
"Not even Lewis Hamilton, in his rookie season alongside Alonso at McLaren in 2007, managed to inflict five successive qualifying 'defeats' on the double world champion," wrote a Crash.net reporter.
"It is a surprise that (Massa) is now out-qualifying Alonso so consistently," added the BBC's chief F1 writer Andrew Benson.
It's a surprise indeed -- a pleasing surprise --, but a surprise nonetheless. Everybody wanted Massa's head when the former vice-champion hit rock bottom in 2012. His whole F1 career was in jeopardy.
Now, the 31-year-old is sitting four points ahead of Alonso in the drivers' standings.
"It's the best news for the team (Massa being back to form)," admitted Alonso himself. "We will push each other to our own limits."
The Brazilian is set to become the first ever teammate to out-qualify Fernando Alonso in five consecutive races.
Massa, who suffered a horrible crash in 2009 and then endured three seasons in the shadow of Ferrari's unquestioned leader Alonso, turned things around at the end of 2012, out-qualifying his teammate in the last two rounds of the season.
And thus far in 2013, he has also out-qualified Alonso twice (out of two), in Australia and Malaysia.
 |
| Felipe Massa is red hot at the moment (Photo: Ferrari) |
"Not even Lewis Hamilton, in his rookie season alongside Alonso at McLaren in 2007, managed to inflict five successive qualifying 'defeats' on the double world champion," wrote a Crash.net reporter.
"It is a surprise that (Massa) is now out-qualifying Alonso so consistently," added the BBC's chief F1 writer Andrew Benson.
It's a surprise indeed -- a pleasing surprise --, but a surprise nonetheless. Everybody wanted Massa's head when the former vice-champion hit rock bottom in 2012. His whole F1 career was in jeopardy.
Now, the 31-year-old is sitting four points ahead of Alonso in the drivers' standings.
"It's the best news for the team (Massa being back to form)," admitted Alonso himself. "We will push each other to our own limits."