SM
Yemen vs. Saudi Arabia: 1 hr 16 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Number 1 driver not Ferrari's 'top priority' - Massa

:Headline: Number 1 driver not Ferrari's 'top priority' - Massa:
Reliability is Ferrari's "top priority" rather than the nomination of a clear number 1 driver for the 2022 drivers' title battle.
Sports Mole

Reliability is Ferrari's "top priority" rather than the nomination of a clear number 1 driver for the 2022 drivers' title battle.

That is the view of Felipe Massa, who admits he was clearly the Maranello team's number 2 at the tail end of the ultra-successful Michael Schumacher era.

"The roles were clear in 2006," the Brazilian, now 41, told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Then came Kimi Raikkonen. We agreed with him that before the race in Spa we can fight, and then the one who is behind helps his teammate," Massa revealed.

He said those examples are relevant today, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both in the top 4 drivers in 2022 but also clearly behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

"I don't know what the situation is now, but at the moment, for Ferrari, reliability should be a top priority," said Massa, days after Spaniard Sainz's spectacular engine failure in Austria.

"First they need to deal with this before assigning the number 1," he added.

"Perhaps next time it will be Leclerc who is out and Sainz will win. So it's too early to assign roles, because even in Maranello they don't know who will get to the finish line in the next race."

The good news for Ferrari is that some favourable circuits for the red car are now looming.

"Red Bull and Ferraris are very evenly matched," former F1 driver Christijan Albers told De Telegraaf.

"That's nice to see as they are two cars with two different philosophies. Now high downforce is with Ferrari and high speed is with Red Bull.

"I see Paul Ricard as clearly a circuit for Ferrari, despite the two straights. I also see Hungary as a Ferrari circuit, but then we go to Spa where Red Bull should be very strong."

As for Massa's concerns about the number 1-number 2 dilemma, Albers thinks Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto is handling it "reasonably well" publicly.

"On the other hand, they lost so many points with Leclerc," he added. "Verstappen also lost a lot of points but with Leclerc it was also stupid tactics and strategies." body check tags ::

amp_article__489935 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2022-07-13 10:17:16:
html db last update - 2022-07-13 10:17:16 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Charles Leclerc

Click here for more stories about Ferrari

Share this article now:
FA
Read Next:
F1 still 'too boring' under new rules - Alonso
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Max Verstappen Christijan Albers Kimi Raikkonen Mattia Binotto Paul Ricard Felipe Massa Formula 1
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
F1 still 'too boring' under new rules - Alonso
Ranking the top 20 volleys in Premier League history

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Saka replacement decided: Predicted Arsenal XI against Ipswich

1

SR

Preview: Arsenal vs. Ipswich - prediction, team news, lineups

2

PA

'The hardest decision of my life': Corberan leaves West Brom for Valencia

NEW

3

'H

Emmerdale 'films car-sinking storyline'

NEW

4

E'

Fulham out to end 45-year wait in Chelsea clash

5

FO

Preview: Wolves vs. Man Utd - prediction, team news, lineups

6

PW

Preview: Brighton vs. Brentford - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PB

Preview: Watford vs. Portsmouth - prediction, team news, lineups

8

PW

Maresca delivers Lavia injury update: Will Chelsea midfielder face Fulham?

9

MD

Preview: Man City vs. Everton - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PM


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .