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Question: Felipe, obviously coming back from injury and missing the last part of last season.
Felipe Massa: Yeah, definitely last year was worse than this one because of the accident. The result this year is not 100 per cent as I expected, especially in qualifying, to put a lap together and to make the car 100 per cent ready for the first lap on the tyres. That was the most difficult thing for me during the championship. I really hope to finish well in these last two races as the championship is not finished yet, so I hope we can do a good job in the last two races and also prepare for much better qualifying laps next year as we know how important qualifying is and starting on the front. The chance you have to win the race is there, so that’s why this year was not great because of the qualifying and the position on the grid. It is true that I also had some races where I didn’t finish in the points, some crashes, in the first corner also in Singapore where I had a problem in qualifying and started last. I had some races which were not great. But anyway 100 per cent concentrated on finishing well the season in these last two races and also thinking about next year.
Question: Felipe, three successive poles for the last three times you’ve been here.
Felipe Massa: Yeah, they were great races: 2006, 2007, 2008, but it’s also true that it’s a circuit where I love to race. Even before Formula One I won two races here in Formula Chevrolet, the category in which I started. Then I came back when I was in Formula One. But as Rubens says, it’s a track where you have some directions in terms of set-up, in terms of how to do a great lap. There are also some corners which are not easy to do, especially talking about lap times, which is after turn six, which is very technical as well. And also, you see overtaking at every race here. It’s a track which is small, it’s not so big, not so long like many of the new tracks, but I think it’s very well done. You can see many nice battles on this race track, especially when you have a nice time, even before Formula One, in the two victories that I had, and in Formula One with another two victories with three pole positions, it makes the track even more special. But when you see the people in the grandstands, it’s just amazing, to see the Brazilian people very ‘hot’, singing all day long. For us it is something that is very, very special and gives you extra power as well.
Question: There’s a movie about Ayrton Senna which is going to come out. I was wondering if you have seen it, if you liked it, and if you had any special memories of that day in 1994 and what you still think about Ayrton Senna, what he means to you?
Felipe Massa: Senna was really amazing. He was an amazing driver. I remember so many races that he did. He was a great driver in the race, but what he was able to do in qualifying was something that I never saw before, that a driver could do most of the pole positions in a season, most of the time with a big difference between his pole and the other times. For me, that was really one of the strongest points as well. You could see that he had something different. He won many, many races, he was very strong, but what he did in qualifying was really, really amazing for me.
Question: Have you seen the film?
Felipe Massa: Not yet because I couldn’t go yesterday either, but I am really looking forward to seeing it as soon as possible.
Question: Felipe, how focused are Ferrari on making sure that Alonso wins the title here this weekend? Do you think he can do it? And will you be expected to help him?
Felipe Massa: Well, he is first in the championship, so for sure I think he can do it. I think the focus is to win the championship. If he wins here, for sure it’s good for the team, but the focus is that he can win the championship. He’s first and we know how… some races (ago) everybody was sure that Red Bull was going to win easily and then something happened in the race, so they lost many points which is exactly what happened in the last race. So Sebastian had ten pole positions, he won three races, so you can see that everything can be possible in the championship, especially now that Fernando is in front, so the chances of winning are quite big.
Question: Felipe, given your prowess at this circuit, how do you see your role in affecting the title race?
Felipe Massa: Well, for sure, when you have a driver there taking points away from other drivers who are fighting for the championship it’s always important. I see myself there and for sure thinking about starting in the best position and finishing in the best position as well.
Question: And just one other thought. You talked about your season being not as good as you expected; what has held you back in particular, in qualifying for example?
Felipe Massa: Well, to have the right grip on the first lap, to prepare the tyres, to have the right grip for the first lap. That was the most difficult thing.
Question: Just going back to Ferrari, if you’re leading the race, would you give way to let Fernando through to win it?
Felipe Massa: Well, I already did that, you know? 2007, you don’t remember? So it depends on me. I’m a professional driver.
Question: Felipe, another question, you’ve spoken warmly about the fans here and the reaction you’ve had over the past few years. Are you slightly concerned that after what happened in Germany this year that
their reaction might be slightly different towards this year, and following on from Jon’s question, if you do something similar like allow Alonso through again, will that reaction not turn against you again, because they expect you, a Brazilian, to win the race in front of your home crowd?
Felipe Massa: Well, I expect me to win the race as well and I will do the best I can to win the race for them, for the people. It’s also true that even after the race in Germany, when I arrived in Brazil, the people were very nice with me, very fantastic, pushing me forward. The real people are great. Journalists are much more difficult.
Question: Felipe, you talked about your first lap in qualifying; do you have any idea why you can’t reach the level of performance of Fernando this year? Is it due to your accident…?
Felipe Massa: No. For sure it’s due to the temperature of the tyres, the way I drive, for the first lap on the tyres. I was struggling just to have the right grip for the first lap, so that was the main issue. Everybody knows that even in 2008 I was the driver on the grid who did the most pole positions, so it’s something that I know how to do, but this year I was missing the direction.
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