Felipe Massa is new president of FIA's Drivers' Commission

Former F1 driver Felipe Massa has been appointed as the new president of the FIA Drivers’ Commission, as part of the restructuring process initiated by the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Massa, who was previously the head of the FIA International Karting Commission, will mostly focus on his new duties but also expressed a desire to complete his ongoing work in karting. Speaking in a video posted on his social media handles, the Brazilian said:

“I’m so happy for that. It is definitely a lot to do to keep improving motorsport on the driver’s side, driver’s license points, but also safety. And it’s also important to keep improving so many different points like the driver’s age, you know, to start with the first categories, a lot to do on that. But also, to say that I will not away [sic] from the karting. I will still keep doing some advisories on the karting side, something that I really like. Looking forward for [the new role]. A lot to do.”

The Drivers' Commission represents the interests of F1 drivers within the FIA, through which they can relay grievances and suggestions to the motorsport governing body. The president of the commission — usually nominated based on their experience within the sport — will work closely with the president of the Grand Prix Driver’s Association (GPDA) to solve problems faced by the drivers.

---

Felipe Massa “not surprised” at Ferrari’s recent downturn in form

Felipe Massa says he wasn’t surprised when Ferrari finished in seventh place in the constructors during the 2020 season, the team’s second-worst performance in their seventy-five-year history.

The Brazilian, who previously drove for the team between 2005 and 2013, feels that the Scuderia has a “team problem”, and that it isn’t the same well-oiled machine that it used to be during Michael Schumacher’s era.

Speaking in a post-season interview with The Independent, Felipe Massa said:

“Ferrari’s best years were with [Michael] Schumacher. After 2009, Ferrari was no longer the team of the hour. There have been many changes and it is important to keep a cool head. That is difficult at Ferrari.”

He further said:

“Ferrari’s problem is not a driver problem, it’s a car problem, a team problem. Sainz and Leclerc form a very important driver pairing. I hope that with the changes Ferrari can win again in 2022. But it’s not easy. It takes a lot of hard work and a cool head to get good results.”

Unlike previous years, the management at Maranello has shifted towards stability and long-term planning, rather than taking ill-advised decisions for short term-gain. After two consecutive winless seasons, Ferrari is hoping to return to winning ways by exploiting new technical regulations in 2022.