Felipe Massa to Compete in 100th Grand Prix for Ferrari, Looking Forward to Better Year Next Season

Felipe Massa is celebrating his 100th race with Ferrari this weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. It will be his 153rd grand prix.

Ferrari has won the Brazilian Grand Prix 10 times in 48 races. Massa who is Brazilian has taken two of those victories. 

“They were both incredible. Even the one in 2008 when I won and came so very close to winning the Drivers’ title in Brazil. And my first win at home was the realization of a dream, because for a Brazilian to win at home is almost like winning the world championship, so for those reasons the 2006 victory at Interlagos was the best of those two,” said Massa.

Massa knows that he has not had the best season this year.

“This year has not gone so well, but we have tackled it with our usual fighting spirit and that is what we will take forward to next year, when we hope to have a very different sort of championship to this one just ending. The intention is to be competitive right from the start, fighting for the win in every race. This has not been a fantastic season for me, but neither has it been for the team,” said Massa.

As part of the celebration for the race, Massa challenged the press to a kart race at a circuit just outside of Sao Paulo. Massa started from the back of the grid, and all of the participants had the same kart. Massa blazed through the pack and won by 36 seconds.

“After such a difficult year there could be nothing better than to race at Interlagos. It will be great to race with the support of the crowd on the track where I started racing and where I’ve always given my best. There have been races where I could have made the podium but circumstances always conspired to prevent it. But that’s how the season has gone and I have to accept it. Now I’m totally focused on doing the best possible job in 2012,” said Massa.