Massa: Extra power from the people here

When you are a native of a country where the whole population seems to be mad about Formula 1, you are going to have a busy time as a Brazilian driver, so after a few days of making a variety of sponsor and charitable appearances, Felipe Massa was also called to today’s FIA Press Conference at the Interlagos circuit, which stages the nineteenth and final round of the F1 World Championship this weekend. “For all of us,” said the Ferrari man referring to fellow Brazilians Bruno Senna and Rubens Barrichello on the panel with him, “this race is like a championship within the championship because racing at home is so important. I have had two victories here and so my hope is to have another good weekend. Then, from Sunday night it will be time to focus one hundred percent on next year.”

On a more technical than emotional theme, the local man was asked about chances of plenty of overtaking on Sunday. Certainly, if you pass a car on the pit straight where you don’t have the use of the DRS, then it’s true the car you have just overtaken can pass you back down the next straight where the wing can be moved, so there could be a lot of passing moves.

The Paulista revealed he was counting on the crowd to help him this weekend: “We have nothing new on the car compared to the last few races, although we will be trying out the front wing again and I hope it will work well this weekend, without the shaking problem I experienced befor. But I will feel some extra power from the people here and I hope I can aim for the podium, because I really want to score my best result of this championship on Sunday. Interlagos is very special to me, as it was here I started my career “over the wall” as we called it, on the karting track and I also used to come as a kid to see Ayrton and Nelson racing.”