Felipe Massa on track for historic first in China

28 March 2013 Last updated at 12:58 GMT

Felipe Massa can achieve a historic first when the Formula 1 season resumes in China in two weeks.

The 31-year-old Brazilian, whose career was very nearly ended by an horrific incident during the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009, could become the first team-mate of Fernando Alonso to out-qualify the double world champion five times in a row.
Not even Lewis Hamilton managed that when he was Alonso's partner at McLaren.
Massa's revival is not news - he has been back to something like his best since last autumn - but it is remarkable nonetheless.
How has it happened and what might it mean for Ferrari and Alonso?
Let's recap…
As soon as Alonso joined Ferrari in 2010, Massa, who had been with the team since 2006, fell into a secondary role behind the Spaniard.
A force of nature and a natural leader, Alonso effectively took Ferrari over - by presence, word and deed. At the same time, Massa, who had finished runner-up in the championship in 2008, was perhaps more concerned with his own F1 future than what Alonso's presence might mean for him and the team.

Felipe Massa profile

• Age: 31
• Current team: Ferrari
• Previous team: Sauber
• Best championship finish: 2nd (2008)
• Wins: 11
• Podiums: 35
• Poles: 15
• Fastest laps: 14

During qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix in July 2009, Massa's skull had been fractured when a suspension spring fell from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn and struck his helmet. The injury threatened the sight in Massa's left eye and immediately put his driving career in jeopardy.
After several worrying months, Massa eventually returned to action for the start of the 2010 season, but there were doubts whether he would be able to recapture his best form.
The evidence of the last three years suggests his ability to drive consistently fast was affected.
Had he been physiologically affected by the head injury he had sustained? Or had he simply been unable to cope with Alonso's dominance on and off the track?
In all likelihood, it was a combination of both.
Having Alonso as such a relentlessly consistent benchmark is tough for any driver to handle, but it seems Massa found that some of the actions that he used to regard as automatic prior to his accident were no longer so. His concentration was not what it was, while he was, in effect, forced to re-learn some of his driving skills. Only now is that process complete.
Throughout 2010 and 2011, there were times when Massa out-paced Alonso, at least in qualifying, but the Spaniard was by far the more convincing Ferrari performer.
Massa's nadir was the first half of 2012. Like Alonso, he found the Ferrari exceptionally difficult to drive. Unlike Alonso, he found himself initially unable to adapt.
When he did manage to get the car set up to his liking, a combination of bad luck and driving errors meant he was still not delivering the points Ferrari expected, to the extent that, by the summer break last year, the team had decided to ditch him at the end of the season.

Massa thought about quitting F1

But rather than spell the end of Massa's career with Ferrari, the news he was being dumped effectively saved it.
Why? Well, he stopped focusing on trying to beat Alonso and instead concentrated on his own driving, determined to enjoy what he thought were his last few races in F1.
His results began to improve and he started looking somewhere like his old self. It was as if a switch had been flicked - one that has remained on ever since.
Still, it is a surprise that he is now out-qualifying Alonso so consistently.
One factor could be this year's Pirelli tyres. They are allowing Massa to benefit from his aggressive style on corner entry rather than, as was the case early last year, be punished for it.
Nevertheless, it's worth pointing out that first two qualifying sessions of the season - in Australia and Malaysia - have been in mixed conditions, which could have impacted on Alonso's pace.
If the situation continues, it will be interesting to see how Alonso handles it. The double world champion has a reputation for not being able to cope when challenged by a team-mate, although that reputation is founded on his behaviour more than half a decade ago.
Has he changed and will he see the positives of a competitive Massa? Or will Ferrari have to deal with the driver issues currently plaguing Red Bull?
Alonso says it is the former.
"It's the best news for the team," he said in Malaysia. "We need to have competition between the two drivers. It is very useful to compare and to analyse to make ourselves better. We will push each other to our own limits."
Alonso certainly needs all the help he can get after falling 22 points behind Sebastian Vettel in the drivers' championship after just two races.
After finishing second to the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen in Australia, Alonso crashed out at the start of lap two of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
He had damaged his front wing at the end of the first lap but had stayed out on the track in an attempt to avoid taking two pit stops so close together in the early stages of race.
With the circuit drying, the cars were expected to come in for 'slick' dry-weather tyres anyway within a few laps, so Ferrari gambled on the wing surviving long enough for Alonso to get the changes done in one go.
However, the tactic failed. Alonso's wing broke off within a few hundred metres of passing the pit entry, sending him into the gravel trap and out of the race.
A glance at the results, and the knowledge of how much time would have been lost with a wing change, suggests that even had he made two stops, Alonso would probably still have been able to rescue fifth place - which would mean the gap to Vettel would now be only 12 points rather than 22.
Alonso says that "over 19 races we will be compensated", but his fight against Vettel and Red Bull - and anyone else who may be in the contest - just got that bit harder than it needed to be.

Red Bull clock quickest pit stop ever

April 4, 2013 -- Updated 1704 GMT (0104 HKT)

The Red Bull pit crew, pictured here working on Sebastian Vettel's car, set the record in Malaysia.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Red Bull set record for Formula One's quickest pit stop
• Mark Webber's second stop in Malaysia clocked at 2.05 seconds
• The previous record was held by McLaren for a pit stop on Jenson Button's car in 2012
• Red Bull claim to have broken the record on five occasions during Malaysian Grand Prix

 Red Bull have left all other Formula One teams trailing in their wake in recent years, and now it would seem the reigning drivers' and constructors' champions are also the quickest in the pit lane.

The Malaysian Grand Prix was overshadowed by a Red Bull row which saw Sebastian Vettel ignore team orders, overtake Mark Webber and clinch his first race win of the season.

In addition to taking the checkered flag, the Red Bull team say they clocked the quickest pit stop in the history of the sport.

Australian Webber's second stop at the Sepang International Circuit was timed at just 2.05 seconds, with Red Bull claiming to have broken the record on five separate occasions during the race.

 

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Prior to 2013's second race, the record was held by McLaren, who changed the tires on Jenson Button's car in 2.31 seconds at last year's German Grand Prix.

"We went under that in Malaysia with Seb's first stop being 2.13s," read the Austrian-owned team's website. "Mark's first stop, two laps later was also 2.13s.

"The crew then lowered the new benchmark to 2.05s when Mark came in again, and his two subsequent stops were 2.21s and 2.26s.

"These times are all taken from the car data which each team uses to record the stationary times."

Red Bull went on to suggest the record could be lowered once again in the future.

"What you won't hear, however, is anyone using the word 'perfect'," said the team's website. "There's always a quicker stop out there, and it's possible this season we'll see the magical two-second barrier breached at some point.

"However, rather than chasing individual times, improving consistency is always the thing coveted by the crew: breaking records is merely the consequence of doing that well."

The 2013 season continues with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 14.

Williams' daughter Claire promoted to deputy role

March 27, 2013 -- Updated 1734 GMT (0134 HKT)

Claire Williams is the daughter of team founder Frank Williams.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Claire Williams appointed deputy team principal at William F1 team
• Claire will be working beneath her father and team principal Frank Williams
• Monisha Kaltenborn became the sport's first female team principal at Sauber last year
• Williams' test driver Suzie Wolff is the only female driver currently employed in the sport

 For over half a century, Formula One has been a man's game.

But maybe no more as the sport's glass ceiling suffered a further fracture on Wednesday.

Monisha Kaltenborn became the sport's first female team principal when she was handed the reins at Sauber in October and now Williams has followed suit after appointing Claire Williams to a similar key role.

The daughter of team founder Frank Williams, the 36-year-old will work alongside her father as deputy team principal.

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The British team is the only constructor which currently employs a female driver with Susie Wolff testing for the marque.

"I'm truly honored to be taking on the role of deputy team principal and look forward to working alongside Frank to help run the team this season and beyond," Claire told Williams' official website.

"I have grown up in the sport and have learned the ropes from one of Formula One's legendary team principals and as a result I feel well equipped for this new challenge.

"I understand the commitment that every person within the team gives each day to see our car out on the track and I am determined to see us back at the top."

Williams are one of the most successful teams in F1 history, winning nine constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles since making their debut at the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix.

But in recent times the team has floundered, although Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado did pick up Williams' first race win since 2004 at last year's Spanish Grand Prix.

Frank Williams, who is tetraplegic and has been confined to a wheelchair since a car accident in 1986, is confident the future of the team is in safe hands.

"Over the past decade Claire has worked tirelessly for Williams," said the 70-year-old.

"Her knowledge of the sport and passion for the team is unquestionable and I'm proud to say that during her time here she has proven herself to be one of our most valuable assets.

"With Claire being appointed Deputy Team Principal, I know the future of Williams is in extremely safe hands.

"This appointment also had Ginny's blessing who I know would have been incredibly proud to have seen Claire taking on this position by my side," added Williams, referring to his wife Virginia, who died earlier this month of cancer.

Williams' driver pairing of Maldonado and rookie Valtteri Bottas will both be on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix on April 14.

No doubts for Domenicali

Stefano Domenicali Ferrari

Stefano Domenicali says he has seen enough from the opening two rounds of the season to be certain that Ferrari are positioned firmly in the leading group of title-chasing teams.

Stefano Domenicali in 'no doubt' Ferrari well in mix of leading teams after two races Team chief thinks Red Bull still hold the edge, however

While both championship tables have a familiar look to them after the first two rounds of the year with Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull already leading the way respectively, the competitive order has proved fluid with the reigning Champions, Lotus, Mercedes and Ferrari all having challenged for victory so far.

However, while he admits Red Bull still appear to hold a slight edge over everyone else ahead of next week's return to action in China, Ferrari team boss Domenicali is convinced the F138 is also right in the mix.

"I don't know exactly where [we are], but for sure between the leaders," the Italian declared.

"There are tracks where our car will perform better; there are certain tracks where some others will perform better than ours.

"For sure Red Bull, in my view, is still the strongest at the moment, but we will see.

"Mercedes have done a step, Lotus is very competitive. It will be an interesting and challenging season, but we will be there - no doubt."

Mixed weather conditions and concerns over tyre life across the opening pair of race weekends in Australia and Malaysia also served to skew the picture, with Lotus, for example, impressively winning at the opening round but then finishing only sixth and seventh a week later at Sepang.

Domenicali acknowledges such fluctuations in form have been hard to make out, but in thinly-veiled criticism of rivals Red Bull and Mercedes, said Ferrari weren't about to go on the attack over Pirelli's latest specification tyres.

"This championship is very long," he added.

"We have seen that the performance of the others is very good but we also have seen that during these two races there were so many different performances between different cars in different conditions that it was almost impossible to understand something.

"I see a lot of overreaction from some teams on the tyres but another thing in my view it's better to stay cool and calm, as in life."

The Ferrari chief also said it wasn't any particular cause for concern that despite having a far more competitive car at the start of this season, Fernando Alonso's early exit in Malaysia meant they were actually further off the pace in the title race than 12 months ago.

"Last year we were crying about the fact [we were not competitive] but after two races we already had one win and more points [than now]," he pointed out.

"So I know that, but it doesn't matter because at the end of the day the championship is very long and it is important to stay cool and calm and make sure from the package we deliver the best.

"In terms of development, of course as everyone will do, we will try to develop the car and this is the target for every race."

Features

In the balance Mark Hughes says McLaren's season hinges on how a major upgrade package performs in China.

Australia GP pictures The best of the pictures as the 2013 kicks off in spectacular fashion - and victory for Kimi Raikkonen.

The 2013 Helmets Your guide to the helmet designs the 22 drivers will be wearing at the start of the 2013 F1 season.

Paul di Resta says Force India pushing to keep advantage over McLaren in Chinese GP

But Scot expecting more of a challenge by Bahrain

Paul di Resta: Thinks Force India can make a further step forward in China

Paul di Resta is optimistic Force India will be able to stay ahead of McLaren at next weekend's Chinese GP - although admits holding position thereafter will be tough.

The Silverstone-based team proved the quickest of the grid's perennial midfielders in the opening couple of flyaway rounds, and although they suffered their first double retirement for two seasons in Malaysia owing to wheelnut issues at pitstops, they head into next week's third round aiming to consolidate fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.
That position is currently two places and six points better off than underperforming McLaren, although the former World Champions made strides forward with their troublesome MP4-28 at the second race in Sepang.
With the Woking team using the current break between races to bring further improvements to their car, di Resta acknowledges it will be increasingly tough for the smaller Force India operation to stave off their bigger rival for long.
"We've proven where we are at the moment, but whether we will be in that position after the next two will be hard," di Resta said.
"I've a lot of respect for what McLaren do. Although they are struggling at the moment, they can develop.
"But we will be pushing to stay in front of them. Our performance so far has been far better than people expected, far better than people could probably overhaul in two weeks."
Although Force India experienced one of their least competitive weekends of the whole season in China last year, the year before saw di Resta qualify in eighth place.
Now ahead of his third appearance at Shanghai circuit, the Scot is hopeful of a similar top-ten result this time round.
"Despite what happened in Malaysia we took very good positives from the weekend through our performance, so I'm looking forward to China and Bahrain," he added.
"I'd like to think we'd have some more knowledge on our car to make it quicker, although China is a different philosophy compared to what we have experienced so far this season.
"But we had a good car there two years ago, and there is no reason why we can't go there and repeat that."

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