Massa is going up in my estimations

[Cara Van Man]

good on the lad.....I think he has been gracious in defeat.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72008

[lazyitus]

I never doubted the sincerity of Massa. I like him. It would also seems he's not that far up his own arse that he gets on with Hamilton.

Good to see.

[MrKipling43]

Yeah the way he dealt with losing the Championship in what was, ultimately, a very cruel way showed great character.

He's been irritating me all year, but he completely redeemed himself on Sunday.

[mikee boy]

So that's an article about an Italian newspaper article. And it took 2 people to write it!

With what we know about the morals of journalists I'm sure the truth is somewhat different. Didn't he have the chance to meet Lewis and his Dad on the day of the race?

[Derek Smith]

You've got to feel for him being told that he'd won the WDC and then having the correction come down his earphones.

He does seem like a genuine chap.

[anonymous-user]

Massa is a really nice guy being guided against his character, that showed in the last few races. How he handled losing the championship showed what a top bloke he is, it probably did him a big favour longer term as he would have been know as the guy who won because of FIA interference.

I hope he has a great season next year and i would be happy if he won the title on merit.

[MonkeyHanger]

Good for him.

Maybe he fancies Heikki's seat at McLaren

[mikee boy]

johnfelstead said:

Massa is a really nice guy being guided against his character, that showed in the last few races. How he handled losing the championship showed what a top bloke he is....

Is this the same Massa that blamed Bourdais and Hamilton for him driving into both of them, and happily let Bourdais get a 25 second penalty?

Edited by mikee boy on Wednesday 5th November 12:26

[anonymous-user]

mikee boy said:

johnfelstead said:

Massa is a really nice guy being guided against his character, that showed in the last few races. How he handled losing the championship showed what a top bloke he is....

Is this the same Massa that blamed Bourdais and Hamilton for him driving into both of them, and happily let Bourdais get a 25 second penalty?

Edited by mikee boy on Wednesday 5th November 12:26

yes, and exactly my point, that isn't his normal character.

[chris_w]

Yep, contrary to my expectations, he really did string together a strong championship run this year and he was class all the way in Brazil, there wasn't any more he could have done.

I also heard he supplied Toyota team personnel with Ferrari gear to wear out of the circuit as he was concerned about the crowd reaction to them, again, pretty classy especially considering the circumstances.

[Cara Van Man]

MrKipling43 said:

Yeah the way he dealt with losing the Championship in what was, ultimately, a very cruel way showed great character.

He's been irritating me all year, but he completely redeemed himself on Sunday.

Exactly.

[mikee boy]

johnfelstead said:

mikee boy said:

johnfelstead said:

Massa is a really nice guy being guided against his character, that showed in the last few races. How he handled losing the championship showed what a top bloke he is....

Is this the same Massa that blamed Bourdais and Hamilton for him driving into both of them, and happily let Bourdais get a 25 second penalty?

yes, and exactly my point, that isn't his normal character.

Well that just about exonerates anybody from their actions. I'd have more respect if he acknowledged now that what he did to Bourdais (letting him take the blame) was unacceptable.

[10 Pence Short]

I'm not sure it makes any difference to my opinion of him. All this congratulating Hamilton and so on is just what I'd expect him to do. At the end of the day they're racing drivers and I'm not too sure I'd want mine being too happy for somebody else's success.

More important to me is the seeming change for the better within Ferrari and their attitude towards the competition. Stefano Domenicalli seems a genuinely good guy looking to win on the track rather than Mosley's pocket.

[dpbird90]

MonkeyHanger said:

Good for him.

Maybe he fancies Heikki's seat at McLaren

I think Timo will be getting it somehow!

Anyway, Heikki is contracted until the end of 2009, I think if he doesn't pull his finger out next year Ron will be considering Timo Glock or perhaps Sebastien Vettel. There's some superb talent in the lower teams, with the potential to be even greater than, dare I say it, Lewis, but one of the big teams needs to give them a chance. Massa is a prime example of this, back in the Sauber days he was frequently getting poor results and crashing a lot. Stick him in a championship winning car and there you go, he's a title contender. Thought some of the things he came out with this year made him sound an arrogant cock, but he has returned to one of F1's nice guys towards the end of the season. I am hoping for a 4 way battle for the title next year, Kimi and Heikki need to get in there.

[entropy]

mikee boy said:

johnfelstead said:

Massa is a really nice guy being guided against his character, that showed in the last few races. How he handled losing the championship showed what a top bloke he is....

Is this the same Massa that blamed Bourdais and Hamilton for him driving into both of them, and happily let Bourdais get a 25 second penalty?

Edited by mikee boy on Wednesday 5th November 12:26

When you're fighting for WDC the last person you're going to blame is yourself, unless you've made a huge error and came away with nothing.

[Clevers]

dpbird90 said:

MonkeyHanger said:

Good for him.

Maybe he fancies Heikki's seat at McLaren

I think Timo will be getting it somehow!

Anyway, Heikki is contracted until the end of 2009, I think if he doesn't pull his finger out next year Ron will be considering Timo Glock or perhaps Sebastien Vettel. There's some superb talent in the lower teams, with the potential to be even greater than, dare I say it, Lewis, but one of the big teams needs to give them a chance. Massa is a prime example of this, back in the Sauber days he was frequently getting poor results and crashing a lot. Stick him in a championship winning car and there you go, he's a title contender. Thought some of the things he came out with this year made him sound an arrogant cock, but he has returned to one of F1's nice guys towards the end of the season. I am hoping for a 4 way battle for the title next year, Kimi and Heikki need to get in there.

I reckon Heikki's got four races before he joins the poor sods from Goldman Sachs on the dole....