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On the first day of testing at Monza this season, Felipe Massa has topped the tables and continued his impressive pace from last weekend’s European Grand Prix. With the Italian circuit due to host the fourteenth round of the championship in mid-September, most teams were working on their aerodynamic packages to give them a better understanding of the set up required. Heikki Kovalainen and Nico Rosberg followed the Ferrari pilot close behind in second and third. Continue Reading

For the last 12 years or so, Ferrari have adopted a strategy for the championship campaign that has seen them win seven constructors titles and six drivers titles. The success of Michael Schumacher in the team as well as employing many of Formula One’s most talented personnel has brought almost unprecedented domination over the sport. Although this domination has wained a little in recent years, it is without doubt that Ferrari’s tactic of backing one driver worked. Continue Reading

Felipe Massa has once again outlined to his rivals that he can race superbly well by winning the European Grand Prix in dominant style. After claiming pole position yesterday, Massa drove well all afternoon, but an error in the pitlane could see the Brazilian penalised later this evening. Lewis Hamilton didn’t really have an answer for the pace of the Ferrari and came home second, and Robert Kubica returned to the podium with a fine third-place finish for BMW. Continue Reading

On lap 37 of the European Grand Prix, Felipe Massa came into the pitlane for his second scheduled stop. By the time he had completed his out-lap, the FIA were investigating the events that happened. On lap 48, Kimi Raikkonen pitted for his final stop, and in leaving the box, managed to knock over the refueller who was still attached to the car. Ferrari, it seems, are not looking too good in the pitlane at the moment, despite winning the race in dominant style. Continue Reading

Felipe massa has won the first grand prix to be held on the new Valencia circuit in Spain. The Brazilian led from start to finish (pitstops aside) and took the fastest lap on his 36th tour. The race saw no safety car periods but Massa is under investigation following an issue from the pitstop. Kimi Raikkonen retired with a blown engine shortly after he left his pit box early, injuring a mechanic in the process. Lewis Hamilton finished second and Robert Kubica joined the podium in third. Continue Reading

By far the most interesting part of qualifying was the electric pace of the two Scuderia Toro Rossos. To go significantly faster than their parent team, STR have embarrassed Red Bull Racing, who languish in fourteenth and seveneenth. Felipe Massa looks strong for a good race and Lewis Hamilton will be hungry after his Hungarian perofrmance. Heikki Kovalainen and Kimi Raikkonen look set to take up supporting roles, but the Finns cannot be ruled out entirely as Valencia stages it’s first grand prix on the new urban circuit. Continue Reading

Felipe Massa has claimed the first pole position at the new Valencia circuit in Spain. Following an interesting qualifying which saw some topsy-turvy times for some of the session, Massa came out as fastest as he managed to get ahead of Lewis Hamilton on his final lap. The other Ferrari driver, Kimi Raikkonen, didn’t enjoy qualifying as much and could only get his F2008 into fourth and was 0.5s shy of his Brazilian rival. Continue Reading

As qualifying closed on the Valencia urban circuit in Spain, it was Felipe Massa who took pole position and will lead the field off the grid for tomorrow’s race. The session saw a little rain at the end of the Q1 but it didn’t trouble the drivers too much. One of the bigest surprises is that both Scuderia Toro Rossos got into the final part of qualifying, Sebastian Vettel finishing in sixth and Bourdais in tenth. A full report will follow later this evening. Continue Reading

Felipe Massa topped the tables in the morning free practice at the Hungaroring earlier today. The Brazilian driver managed a lap time 0.4s faster than his team mate Kimi Raikkonen who was himself 0.4s ahead of McLaren pilot Heikki Kovalainen. The Finnish driver, who has just been announced as Lewis Hamilton’s team mate for 2009, lapped the track 0.5s faster than the Briton and appeared to be very fast in the first part of the circuit, although lost time towards the end. Continue Reading

Since the test at Silverstone last week, McLaren have looked strong. Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen appeared to have a small margin over their long-term rivals Ferrari, and given that BMW fell off the wagon at the last race in France, the Woking-squad were naturally buoyant going into the race weekend. Ferrari, on the other hand, remained cautious but optimistic, but it soon started to go wrong for them and as they say in life, bad things come in threes… Continue Reading