Massa proud of Ferrari career

This weekend, at his home Grand Prix in Brazil, Felipe Massa bids fairwell to the Ferrari team.

The 32-year-old won 11 races during his eight year career at Scuderia, a record which sees him as the second longest serving driver that the team has ever known, behind former team-mate Michael Schumacher. While his eleven Grand Prix victories, is the fourth highest for a Ferrari driver, level with current team-mate Fernando Alonso.

Massa is of course making way for former team-mate Kimi Raikkonen who is returning to the team to partner Alonso next season.

While Massa has already agreed a new deal with Williams to stay in Formula One.

Massa will replace the outgoing Pastor Maldonado, in a move that looks a shrewd one, with Williams’ end of season form and switch from Renault to Mercedes engines for next season.

With the likes of Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez, Pastor Maldonado, Paul Di Resta and Adrian Sutil all facing an uncertain time chasing lucrative deals with the mid-pack teams, Massa should feel rather smug that he concluded his deal with Williams so swiftly.

But while Massa still has a bright future ahead of him, this weekend, is all about reflection over his years with Ferrari.

During the period of his 139 race career with Ferrari, the Italian team won back-to-back Constructors championships in 2007-2008, with Massa himself narrowly missing out on the drivers title.

He also had his near fatal accident in Hungary in 2009, which he eventually recovered from, although arguably has never been the same racer again.

‘I’d like to be remembered as an important component of the Ferrari team, We had great times together, winning races and championships and we also lived through some difficult moments. Massa told Ferrari’s official website.

‘I am proud to be part of Ferrari’s history. It was always my dream to drive for Ferrari and I did it for ten years, eight of them as a race driver. Actually, I had a contract with Ferrari even before then, when I was just a kid really. It’s been a long time during which I always gave my all for the team.

‘It will be very emotional racing at Interlagos for Ferrari for the final time.’