Felipe Massa has said that he will have no problems racing alongside Fernando Alonso as the Spaniard joins Ferrari for 2010. The returning Brazilian announced that he had already started working hard with Alonso and that he was sure their relationship would be a productive one for Ferrari.
Speaking at Ferrari’s Wrooom media event, Massa told assembled journalists that “things have started extremely well.â€
“I ve spoken more to Fernando now than in three years with Kimi. Perhaps this was not difficult because Kimi of course did not like to speak much, but I also worked extremely well with Kimi, even without speaking. So it was fine. I think we can have a very good relationship and we can work extremely well together.
“I think we need to work well together otherwise it will not be positive for either of us or for the team. We are in a very important team, we know what we have to do, and we know if we work well together on the professional side we can have a better car on the track. I really don t think there will be a fire, and we can work well together. We can develop a great car.â€
Massa and Alonso had a coming-together at the Nurburgring in 2007, when a blistering Alonso forced his way past an ailing Massa. They then exchanged some angry words in the post-race drinks area, an episode which has become the stuff of YouTube legend. But Massa was at pains to tell the press that after Alonso apologised he had forgotten it all.
“As for the problems, we have discussed it,†he said. “You ve all seen what happened in 2007 when we spoke in Germany. I gave my compliments to him for the race and he said I had done something not honest, but it was not true so I just talked to him about it and then he said he was sorry, and that was it. Personally I have no problems, there are no strange feelings or opinions about Fernando.â€
The inter-team rivalry at Ferrari will be just one of many tantalising stories of 2010. Massa is adored by the Ferrari mechanics and he will also be a ‘returning hero’ after his life-threatening accident last year forced him to sit out the rest of the season. Alonso, meanwhile, has a tendency to mould teams around himself and will be looking to establish early dominance over the Brazilian.
