Early career

Massa, a Brazilian whose grandfather came to Brazil from the city of Cerignola, Italy, was born in São Paulo, Brazil. Massa began karting when he was 8 years old, finishing fourth in his first season. He continued in national and international championships for 7 years, and in 1998 he moved into Formula Chevrolet, finishing the Brazilian championship in fifth. In the next season, he won 3 of the 10 races and took the championship. In 2000, he moved to Europe to compete in the Italian Formula Renault series, winning both it and the European Formula Renault championship in the same year. Whilst having the opportunity to move into Formula 3, he opted instead for the Formula 3000 Euro-Series, and was dominant, winning 6 of the 8 races to take the championship. He was offered an F1 test with the Sauber team, who promptly signed him for 2002. In the meantime he drove for Alfa Romeo in the European Touring Car Championship as a guest driver.

Formula One career

Sauber (2002, 2004-2005)

In his rookie year in Formula 1, Massa was paired with 1999 F3000 champion Nick Heidfeld at the Sauber team. Massa showed he was a competitive driver, but made several mistakes during his rookie season, including spinning off the track on several occasions. Massa scored 4 championship points in his first season, with a best result of 5th place at the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya. Massa suffered a one race suspension late in the season, forcing him to miss the United States Grand Prix. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Sauber's former driver drove for Massa in that race. Although Massa returned to the driver's seat for the Japanese Grand Prix, Sauber confirmed that Frentzen would partner Heidfeld in 2003, and therefore, Massa was without a race seat at Sauber. But it was confirmed by Felipe Massa himself that a deal was brokered with the Ferrari F1 Team that he would spend his early F1 career gaining experience in the Sauber Team to move on to Ferrari in the future. After gaining more experience showing signs that his mistake rate had declined, Ferrari dealt with Sauber to re-sign Massa for the 2004 season. In 2004, Massa scored 12 of Sauber's 34 points, with his best result being a fourth place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix. His teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella, scored the team's other 22 points. In 2005, Massa remained with Sauber. Although he only scored 11 points, Massa outpaced his teammate Jacques Villeneuve through most of the season, and beat him in the drivers' championship. In 2006, Massa joined Ferrari as a race-driver, alongside Michael Schumacher.

Ferrari (2006-Present)

2006

Felipe Massa got a good start at Ferrari, qualifying second at the opening race in Bahrain, and came from 21st position to 5th in Malaysia, beating teammate Michael Schumacher, who'd started from 14th. However, in Bahrain, in both Saturday practice and the race, he seemed to resume his tendency to spin, narrowly missing eventual winner Fernando Alonso in the race. He kept up his reputation as being a bit on the wild side at the Australian GP when he crashed his Ferrari in qualifying, and then collided with Christian Klien and Nico Rosberg at the first corner of the race. However, Massa scored his first career podium at the Nürburgring, finishing third, behind Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. He also set the fastest lap at Barcelona in 2006. Massa achieved four more podium finishes in 2006, in the USA, France and Germany and took his first F1 pole position and his first F1 win at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix, at the Istanbul Park circuit. His future position at Ferrari was secured when Michael Schumacher announced on 10 September 2006, that he would retire from F1 at the end of the 2006 season. On October 22, Felipe Massa won his home grand prix at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix, marking the first time a Brazilian driver won at Interlagos since Ayrton Senna in 1993. The Brazilian eventually finished the season third with 80 points, behind world champion Fernando Alonso and Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher.

2007

In 2007 pre-season testing, Massa topped the times five times and set the fastest lap for four out of five circuits. Massa's 2007 season began with problems. At the season opening Australian Grand Prix, he suffered a gearbox problem during qualifying and required an engine change. The combination of a gearbox failure in qualifying, coupled with a 10-grid-slot penalty for the engine change required that Massa start from the pit lane. He drove a recovery race in Australia, using a one pitstop strategy to finish in sixth place. Massa's problems continued in Malaysia, where despite qualifying on pole position, he was passed by the McLarens of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton by the first corner. An overtaking attempt on Hamilton saw Massa run off the track and lose two more places, dropping down to fifth place, where he finished the race. Massa won the Grands Prix of Bahrain and Spain, both from pole position, and finished third in Monaco.

Massa was black flagged in the Canadian Grand Prix for leaving the pit lane while the red light was showing and finished on the podium behind Lewis Hamilton and Alonso in the United States Grand Prix. At the French Grand Prix, he led for most of the race before losing first place to teammate Kimi Räikkönen during the final round of pitstops. Massa later blamed heavy traffic for losing the lead. He qualified in fourth place for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, but on the first parade lap his car stalled, and he was forced to start in 21st position from the pit lane. However, he was able to move through the field, eventually finishing in fifth place behind Robert Kubica.

At the European Grand Prix he took third place in the qualifying session while his teammate Kimi Räikkönen secured pole position. Massa finished second in a chatoic, rain hit race. A Torrential downpour during the first lap saw six drivers fall victim to a river of rain at turn one, and span into the gravel. Only Lewis Hamiliton recovered, being controversially towed out. The race was eventually red flagged by the end of lap 4. Massa took a comfortable lead shortly after the restart, but when rain fell on lap 52 he complained of vibrations from his newly shod rain tyres, dropped off the pace, and was passed by Fernando Alonso with just 5 laps remaining. After the race, Massa came to congratulate Alonso for winning the race and Alonso expressed dissatisfaction at Massa's aggressive attempt to avoid being overtaken. This discussion led to a much talked about verbal dispute between the two drivers.

Massa won the 2007 Turkish Grand Prix, which was his second successive win at the circuit. Fellow Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen finished second and Fernando Alonso came third.

External links

Felipe Massa foto

Massa giving thumbs-up at the 2005 USGP

Massa relaxing at the 2005 USGP

Massa received Medalha do Mérito Desportivo (Medal of the Sport Merit) by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil. (24 October 2006)

2005 British GP	Massa's Sauber C24 at the 2005 Italian GP	2006 Canadian GP
2007 Australian GP	2007 Malaysian GP	Pursuing Nick Heidfeld at the 2007 Malaysian GP