Massa: F2012 needs 'lot more work'

Wed, 08 Feb 18:07:00 2012

Felipe Massa has admitted that Ferrari has a lot of work to do with its new F2012 amid questions about whether or not the new car has delivered the step forward the team was hoping for.

Felipe Massa Jerez Ferrari - 0

While its main rivals Red Bull Racing and McLaren have been bullish about the early impressions of their new cars, Ferrari has been less forthcoming about the performance of its new challenger.

Speaking after his second day of running at Jerez in Spain on Wednesday, where he completed 95 laps to set the seventh best overall time, Massa admitted that there was a long road ahead for his Maranello-based outfit.

"Actually there is a lot of work," said the Brazilian. "It is a brand new car and it is not a car that we had in the last year - even at the start. It is a car that needs a lot more work, and a lot more things to try as well.

"Today I did so many laps, just trying such different things on the car. It was a day where we had to concentrate so much on the little stuff, the little things that we need to understand, where we need to collect a lot of data. And I am sure it will be like that even tomorrow - even to concentrate on the next test."

When asked if he had experienced any unwelcome surprises during testing, Massa said: "You always get them with a new car. Sometimes you don't see the result that you expect. Plus some other parts as well, you have a different direction. So I think it is just the beginning of a big job to have a consistent and competitive car."

Massa said that the fact Ferrari has embarked on such a different philosophy with its car meant that there was likely to be a pretty intense testing plan for the team over the next few weeks.

"It is a lot of work, for sure. As I said, we tried so many things different in the car and so many runs we go out with not everything in the car. We go out to collect data.

"It is different than in the past. The programme is much more different and more complicated, also for us because we try so many things just looking for the performance of the things in the car that we are trying."

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  1. Depends how much a 'lot of work' is but it­ sounds like a late competitive start to me from­ Ferrari.

    From itslookinggoodapone, on Fri 10 Feb 2:05

  2. To quote Dean Wormer: "Son... ugly, slow and­ arrogant is no way to go through a race season­ son"

    From Yankee Racing, on Thu 9 Feb 21:15

  3. Post 8 v12
    Peanut brain or troll (or peanut brained­ troll) - none of these is attractive.

    From Tim, on Thu 9 Feb 21:12

  4. I see the Ferrari fans have gone quiet

    From­ paulhancock1123, on Thu 9 Feb 10:35AM

    Hancock . Were­ you not the one who just recently said that this is­ just test and that these numbers really didn't­ indicate much. I believe this time last year your­ beloved McLarens drivers were having you all believe­ that they had the #1 car . Some of you idiots even­ believed it . AS i said in my other post ... Brits have­ a tough time struggling with the truth. YOU­ INCLUDED.

    Worm your way out of this hancock . I'm­ sure i can find your post from the other day about this­ years test times .

    From franksalot47, on Thu 9 Feb 20:28

  5. OK, so ugly and slow! Ugly might have been forgiven,­ but if you must lose you have to look good doing it!

    From Nav, on Thu 9 Feb 20:13

  6. When the big three Ferrari Red Bull Mercedes and­ Charlie have done there stuff, then we shall know where­ everyone is.

    From Big Ron, on Thu 9 Feb 19:10

  7. I see the Ferrari fans have gone quiet

    From paulhancock1123, on Thu 9 Feb 18:35

  8. it was most likely designed by the cleaning lady on a­ friday night after everybody went home

    From ALEX, on Thu 9 Feb 18:30

  9. Should get a lot of work done before 16 March I would­ have thought.

    From Wizzo, on Thu 9 Feb 18:24

  10. @ thomas.lattimore - gimme a large hammer/axe. I'll­ take care of it.

    From Emanuel, on Thu 9 Feb 6:25

  11. meh. sound like a failure to me. hope is not, I really­ want to see a contested championship this year.

    From Emanuel, on Thu 9 Feb 6:18
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Who cares what little twirp Massa thinks about an F1­ car? He has no credibility in that area. Now, if he­ said, "Alonso's butt needs a lot more­ kissing," there's a subject area he has some­ credibility in.

    From fishblue6, on Thu 9 Feb 5:42

  13. This reminds me of Mclaren last year... wonder if­ Ferrari will have to make late design changes before­ the first race.

    From thomas.lattimore, on Thu 9 Feb 5:37

  14. i have heard they will start soon with the car for 2013­ as for this one there is no hope ......

    From Ape, on Thu 9 Feb 5:33
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Its a poorly designed car, it looks ugly and as such­ can never be faster than the better looking cars

    From v12, on Thu 9 Feb 5:11

  16. At least the step in the nose lets you see the racing­ numbers

    From MARK, on Thu 9 Feb 4:07

  17. so not only does it look like my 5 year old son­ desigined it looks like i will go as quick as his go­ cart haha later ferrari!!!

    From Neil, on Thu 9 Feb 4:04

  18. For those who want to read quality articles and­­ express­ their opinions without being thumbed down or­­ insulted I­ recommend the best Formula 1 blog -­­ F1Fanatic.

    From Klaas, on Thu 9 Feb 3:48

  19. The F2012 is not alone in needing a 'lot more­ work' Felipe but then you have aready been told­ that recently.

    grummps.

    From grummps, on Thu 9 Feb 3:38

  20. Lots of work makes for time well spent with an­ excellent result guaranteed at the end.

    From weekendinthecountry, on Thu 9 Feb 2:31
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