Felipe Massa at Ferrari Racing Day in Budapest.

[racingbradley]

I thought it was time for a bit of light relief away from the pressures of FIA and TO. Found this.

05/09/2010
Felipe Massa at Ferrari Racing Days in Budapest
Special guest at the event on the Sunday was Felipe Massa, the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro race driver, who was in Budapest to greet the Prancing Horse fans from the wheel of an F60.

One of the highlights of the event was his appearance who drove a few laps of the track at the wheel of a Ferrari California and then thrilled the large crowds in the grandstands with a demonstration run in an F60, the car with which Scuderia Ferrari contested the 2009 season.

[Anni]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIPn-75UjFI/AAAAAAAAOSs/jehqPuweMkU/s1600/11e271f8e2876199_xl.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIU_Q2CukbI/AAAAAAAAOXs/_ivWVyhBt5c/s1600/mass_ferr_cc_2010-8.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIU_JANACaI/AAAAAAAAOXM/NKu8m9BKxL4/s1600/mass_ferr_cc_2010-2.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIPoP7vljQI/AAAAAAAAOTk/Z3ZVnbfpXzk/s1600/65365363.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIU_KpnkGKI/AAAAAAAAOXk/CbuQdezE3ow/s1600/mass_ferr_cc_2010-7.jpgThe guy in the car with Felipe is Dr. Robert Veres. He is the neurosurgeon who operated Massa after his accident 2009.

[racingbradley]

Thanks Anni for posting the pics. I really must learn how to do this.
Nice to see that Felipe looks after the neurosurgeon who saved his life. They will be friends forever now it's the kind of guy Felipe is.:-)
Have you any idea who the guy in the dark glasses he shook hands with----he is from F1 clineti

[Suzie]

Cool pics of the donuts, thanks :thumb

[justjesper]

Good to see Felipe Massa out in the media and keeping the spirit high.
Thanks for posting :thumb

[racingbradley]

Good to see Felipe Massa out in the media and keeping the spirit high.
Thanks for posting :thumb
Yes he's such a good PR man for the team and seems to really enjoy these events.
Forza Felipe :-)

[Ant Raikkonen]

:-E 4th picture down, lovely. :love
I think it would look fab in a frame.

[racingbradley]

I have had a busy time in the run up to this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, which will be so important for Ferrari’s chances in the fight for the World Championship title. Last weekend I returned to Budapest and the Hungaroring, for a Ferrari event, which was very enjoyable. It is strange that, although I am Brazilian and I live in Monaco, Hungary will forever be an important part of my life ever since what happened there last year. More unusual, is the fact that I now seem to get a great welcome from the people whenever I go back, which I appreciate very much. Over the weekend, I drove some demonstration laps in last year’s F60 and also drove a Ferrari California road car and I was pleased to be able to give the doctor who looked after me in hospital there a ride in this fantastic car around the race track.

Massa: We are thinking as a team at Ferrari 05/09/2010
Last year he almost died in Hungaroring, he was racing here one month ago and now this weekend he drove again some laps with an F60 at the Ferrari Racing Days event at the Hungaroring circuit. Felipe Massa gave an interview to ’F1Hirek’, he spoke about his accident, the team spirit, Schumacher and rest of the season.

How do you feel in Hungaroring?
I always like to come here! I love the track and the surroundings is wonderful. Hungary has a special place in my life, last year I suffered a memorable accident here after that I got a lot of care and love.

Did you visit those doctors who saved your life?
If I have opportunity, I visit those people who took care of me after my accident in Hungary. Yesterday I had a dinner together with neurosurgeon who operated on me last year.

You might have odd memories about Hungarian Grand Prix not just from 2009 but also from 2008. How does it feel to be to drive again an F2008 at the Hungaroring circuit?
As for that, without doubt F2008 is an important car in my career because I was able to fight for the championship until the last race in 2008 although we lost the championship by one point but I have the uncountable good memories of this car. And indeed, the Hungarian GP was a key in it that in the end I was not champion, because I led the race until I had to give up because of engine problem. Together with this I loved very much my car. So for sure it is going to be great feeling to sit into that and to drive on this beautiful track. For sure I am really going to enjoy it, I hope the fans as well.

(As it was previously reported Massa did not drive F2008 because the Ferrari mechanics prepared the last year’s car, F60 to Massa.)

What does it mean the Ferrari to you? How does it feel to being the Ferrari driver?
Ferrari is passion for me and for all those who are members of this. It is like a big family where everyone works for the same goal and where everyone has their role. I love to racing at Ferrari and with each passing day what I can spend at the team I am becoming happier and happier.

Looking at the things from the outside your situation is not seems so idyllic at the team. What is your opinion in general about team orders in Formula 1?
Team orders are prohibited at present.

Then let's approach this topic in different way! You have proved many times you are real team player but let’s assume that you will arrive the last race of the championship next year that you will still fight for the driver’s championship title while your team mate won’t. What do you think in the same situation Fernando Alonso would be willing to make sacrifices for you as you made sacrifices for him this year in Germany?
We are a team, we always have to consider it. The team is not involved just me and Fernando but there are many people who make possibility for us that we have a car with that we can race on the track. So, the Ferrari is a team we are theirs drivers and we must to put the interests of the team in front of our individual ones. It means we are a team and this is for what is announced in each year the World Conscructors’ Championship and not just the Drivers’ Championship. We help each other in what we can, I think it is the most natural thing in the world.

How do you sees you chances in the Drivers’ Championship? Are there any chance so that you celebrate your championship title end of the year?
Yes, I have still chance to be world champion this year therefore I did not give up this. The situation is not easy but one thing is sure: I am going to fight for to the very end.

Nick Heidfeld, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, Fernando Alonso. Could you tell us what is the common in that six drivers?
Sure! All of them was racing in Formula 1. Okay, well, they were my previous team mates.

What do you think, who is the best among them?
We speaks about six brilliant driver among whom on the one hand it is unnecessary and on the other hand it would be impossible to establish a ranking.

Which driver was with whom you prefer to work together? Who was your favorite team mate so far?
Of course there was wonderful feeling to race with Michael in the same team. I learnt a lot from him and I owe a lot to him but I also got on well with the others.

What is your opinion about return of the seven-time world champion in Formula 1?
Michael’s return is very good for all Formula 1. Everyone has a good feeling that he is also there among us on the track. Although now he has a bit difficult time with his team but in spite of that I am glad that he is in the field and I am sure of it we will see him to fight for the victory.


After the interview we asked Felipe Massa to tell us in short which chances he predicts for Ferrari on the tracks of the rest of the season.

Monza – „We can be strong but honestly it is difficult to say because there is practically different car there as we use anywhere else, because this track’s character is very different from the others. In general, we are competitive in our home grand prix. I think we will use F-duct.”

Singapore – „We were quite good in Monaco this year so in Singapore we also would be good, I think, because both tracks are similar to each other in a lot of things.

Korea –„New track, new possibilities! This track is completely unknow for everyone, but let’s hope we will get the most positive surprises during the weekend. But I think I don’t take a big risk with that if I say the Red Bull will be strong in Korea as well.”

Brazil –„At Interlagos, my home race, we have been doing a great job with the team for years and I don’t see any reason because of that it should be different way this year.”

Abu Dhabi – „I have never been there as racing driver. So I don’t know 100% the track line. I think our car will be competitive there as well and I hope I will also learn the track quickly.

[Suzie]

Thanks RB, haven't read that before. Nice interview.

[coysht]

This would explain why there were 20 odd guys wearing Corse Clienti gear in a restaurant, in the middle of Budapest on Sunday night!......................although none of them were Massa.

[racingbradley]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIU_RlEudkI/AAAAAAAAOX8/Nww42uA6heU/s1600/z1283771809.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIPn-KkOg2I/AAAAAAAAOSc/hW20tH74yjs/s1600/7ff235040544b4dc_xl.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIPoIhE3OaI/AAAAAAAAOTM/qIhBUYOboxk/s1600/54252.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TYJrB8ZJQ8A/TIU_InmtIlI/AAAAAAAAOXE/kvlHvcJLcsA/s1600/mass_ferr_cc_2010-1.jpg
i don't know who the guy shaking hands with Felipe is.
3rd picture down is the surgeon who saved his life.
I love the 2nd you just about see the Ferrari:-)

[gge02]

If you see their overalls they are F1 Clienti which are people with lots of money who buy past seasons f1 cars.

[racingbradley]

Thanks for the info gge02. I didn't know that! I am the clever one!!!!! NOT :lol