Felipe Massa - The Rebel, watch out Ferrari and Alonso

Felipe Massa – From good to bad?

Felipe Massa has set the cat among the pigeons. The Brazilian’s future for the 2014 season is still hanging in the balance but Massa has said that he will be driving for himself in the remaining races of the season. That was after he was sacked by the Maranello based team and Kimi Raikkonen signed to replace him for the next calendar starting in March.

With Massa deciding to fight his own battle till the end of the season, will it have any effect on Fernando Alonso‘s fortune in Singapore and rest of the races? Will Ferrari see their chances of getting close to a Constructor’s Championship taking a hit? Or is it just another disgruntled driver in Massa taking out his rant? Have a read to know more.

Mind Games

Felipe Massa had obliged Ferrari and Alonso with the towing trick at Monza (which didn’t really work) and an easy pass for Alonso to help him take second place behind Sebastian Vettel. That was in the hope that he would be able to retain his place for another year. But that was asking for too much and Massa had realised that his time was up at Ferrari and probably he was expecting a bit too much to get an extended contract.

But Ferrari always preferred Alonso as their No. 1 driver and that prompted them to let Massa pass on the favours. While at the 2010 German GP Massa was told that his teammate was faster than him over the radio, in Austin last year, Ferrari deliberately picked up a five-place gearbox penalty for Massa to ensure Alonso started from the clean side of the grid.

After his life threatening injury in 2009, Massa hasn’t been the driver the world witnessed in 2008. With no race wins since his infamous and championship losing one in Brazil in 2008, the clock had been ticking for Massa. He had been in the points but managed just five podiums since his return to Formula One in 2010.

The last seven races of the season might just prove to be no different. Massa hasn’t been fast enough all season and hardly a match for Alonso. He only had one podium at Spain with a Ferrari 1/3. So, while Alonso needs to win races more than anything else to catch Vettel, Massa might just be another driver for him to overtake.

But for Ferrari, every point would count to hang on to the second place in the Constructor’s Championship if not win it thanks to a 104 points deficit to cover to catch Red-Bull Racing Renault. Mercedes are in hot pursuit in third place with just a single point difference with the prancing horse team.

Massa’s ‘I’ll be on my own ’ statement raised eyebrows as expected and Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo wasn’t amused. He was quoted as saying that Massa had been a good bloke and would want to move out from Ferrari on a good note.

So will Massa change his image from being an obedient teammate to a driver who can be a rebel if rubbed on the wrong side? Will that affect any of the teams decision looking to hire him for next season? Well, all that can be said is things can change fast in Formula One both on and off the circuit.