“I Can’t Say I’m Surprised” – Felipe Massa Faults Internal Problems for Poor Ferrari F1 Form

Scuderia Ferrari endured a horror stint in 2020 where they failed to finish as one of the top 5 constructors for the first time since 1980. Hence, the Reds have since been pushing extremely hard into ending their poor run of form and returning to the winning ways as early as 2022.

However, former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has a bad feeling about the Maranello outfit’s desperation for success. The Brazilian opined that his former team needs a lot of patience to succeed.

Why you might ask? Well, seeking immediate glory after a tough season, they’d often drag themselves under more pressure, only leading up to bigger struggles and failures. Hence, there is a tinge of fear in Massa that 2022 could be another such season for the leading world champions.

What did Felipe Massa say?

As reported by Motorsport, Massa opened up that Ferrari’s glory days ended with the 2008 season and are no longer the best team on the grid.

“Frankly, I can’t say I’m surprised by this situation. Ferrari’s best years were when Schumacher raced. It was also in 2007 and 2008,” he admitted. Ferrari was no longer the best after 2009. There have been a lot of changes and in moments like these, it is necessary to remain calm. But it is very difficult to do that at Ferrari.

“It’s not the drivers that Ferrari has problems with, it’s the car and the team. Sainz and Leclerc are a really strong driver.”

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Massa hoping Ferrari joins the party with Mercedes & Red Bull

Although difficult in reality, Massa is hoping that Ferrari will be able to battle for the championship alongside rivals, Mercedes and Red Bull.

“If big changes are happening, then there may be some surprise, albeit difficult,” he said. “I think big teams like Mercedes and Red Bull will still be at the top. But maybe Ferrari or McLaren can be there too.

“Usually big teams are more likely to start the year at the top. With the changes, I hope Ferrari can win races again in 2022. I’m a Ferrari fan. But it won’t be easy for them to achieve that. It takes hard work and staying calm to get good results.”

Overall, Massa’s words do seem a bit worrisome, but very much reasonable. But, let’s hear it from you – Do you think Ferrari is being too optimistic about their target for the 2022 season? Or will they actually be able to challenge the undefeatable pair of Red Bull and Mercedes?

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