I am so sad to see Felipe, his family, and his wonderful, sweet energy leave the grid but I am glad it was on his own terms and to know he had a lovely career in F1 makes my heart full.
I will also miss Daniel’s bond with Felipinho more than I want to admit
With Felipe Massa announcing his retirement from F1, the sport has lost one of its finest ambassadors, as well as a talented driver.
Although he didn’t use the old excuse ‘I want to spend more time with my family’, it’s safe to assume that is exactly what Massa will do once he steps off the F1 treadmill at this season’s final race, in Abu Dhabi, which will be the 250th start of his Formula 1 career.
When I spoke with the Williams Martini Racing star shortly before his decision was made public, I asked who he’d most like to meet, living or dead, in F1 or outside of the sport.
I half expected to hear the name Senna mentioned, or perhaps Fittipaldi.
Massa paused, rubbed his chin and, eventually, said: ‘Ah, my father.’
Massa is a man who puts family above all else, and members of his family are regular fixtures in the F1 paddock.
Indeed, a photo of his father Luis Antonio went viral during the Belgian Grand Prix last week – it showed Massa Snr looking distinctly unimpressed after his son was passed by the Force India of Sergio Perez.
Massa’s career has brought him tantalisingly close to becoming World Champion – indeed, in 2008, Massa and his fans thought he had won the championship. But, just two corners behind him at Interlagos, Lewis Hamilton was moving up one place, and that would be enough to deny Massa the Drivers’ Championship.
It’s the sort of disappointment that could have destroyed a lesser man but Massa fought on – only for his career and life to be threatened by his 2009 accident.
That he returned to F1 at all was astonishing but, with Williams Martini Racing, he’s remained a regular points scorer and a fantastic brand ambassador.
Just hours before he announced his retirement, Massa was driving guests of Martini and journalists around the Tazio Nuvolari circuit near Milan, before heading off to play football and preparing to meet more VIPs and journalists.
The Italian Grand Prix is Martini’s home race, and Massa couldn’t have picked a higher profile location to announce his retirement.
But, in some ways, Italy is a second home to Massa; his grandfather emigrated to Brazil from southern Italy, and the country has a special place in the family history.
He said: ‘This is almost my second country, and I love it.’
Lest it be forgotten, Massa has tasted victory many times in his career, including championships at both Formula 2000 and Formula 3000 level.
But, although he puts a brave face on it, the memory of that 2008 disappointment haunts him.
Massa told me: ‘To be honest, I have achieved a lot. One thing that would really have been a dream to achieve would be to win the championship.
‘That’s the last dream that has been missing for me. I got very close and I almost – almost – attained it.
‘But, then…’ Another pause. ‘Well, that’s it.’
Kenny Campbell is at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix on behalf of Yahoo Sport UK.
Felipe Massa knew since before the summer break that he was not going
to continue in Formula 1 beyond 2016 and revealed that he chose Monza
to announce the decision as gesture of respect to his mentor Michael
Schumacher.
Massa told media, of his decision to quit, on the eve of the Italian
Grand Prix weekend, “I have known for a few months. And I did not speak
to any other teams, even Williams, about 2017.”
“Sometimes maybe when I said: I want to stay. I was not lying, but it
was not exactly what was happening. I wanted the opportunity to this
moment that everyone remembers.”
“I am choosing this place, this race, because ten years ago Michael
announced his retirement. The only way for me to stay in Ferrari was
because he stopped, because Kimi had signed his contract before me at
Ferrari.”
“He chose to stop to give me this opportunity. And here is like almost my second country, a country I really love.”
Massa spent eight years as a Ferrari driver – teammate to Michael
Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso – before joining Williams
in 2014.
“I was thinking to do it myself three years ago. When I was sure when
this was going to be the time [this year], I needed to decide and
needed to be strong enough to decide things.”
“Sometimes it can be quite difficult but it’s a relief,” explained
the Brazilian who has made 242 grand prix starts, won 11 F1 races,
finished 41 times on the podium and finished runner-up in the world
championship in 2008.
Massa began his F1 career with Sauber in 2002, thanks to backing from
Ferrari. He spent 2003 as test and reserve driver for the Maranello
before returning to the grid with Sauber for two years, in 2004 and
2005.
In 2006 he was promoted to the Ferrari team, alongside seven times
world champion Schumacher who took the Brazilian under his wing and
mentored him that season.
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