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Montezemolo issues Massa warning

ESPNF1 Staff
November 22, 2011 « McLaren pays tribute to de la Rosa | Barrichello sure Williams will improve »
Felipe Massa has not finished on the podium in any race this year so far © Sutton Images
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Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has issued a warning to Felipe Massa that "he'll have to prove himself next season".

Massa has had a poor 2011, failing to finish higher than fifth in a Ferrari which Fernando Alonso drove to victory in Silverstone. Alonso has so far scored a total of 245 points, more than double Massa's 108, which has led to speculation over Massa's future. Montezemolo admitted that although Massa has not had a successful year, he has faith the speed which saw him so nearly win the 2008 championship is still there, but that he will have to display it next season.

"Let's hope [2012] goes well," Montezemolo told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have great confidence in our drivers and there seems to have been a clarification as regards the regulations. I'm sure we'll have a more competitive car. The drivers? We have a contract with Fernando until 2016 and he's the best driver in the world.

"Massa's contract will run for the whole of next season; he's been with us for quite a few years and even if he didn't have such a great season or much luck, we can't question the ability of a driver who was winning the title three years ago and who has always been fast and competitive. Let's hope he can finish the season with a good result in Brazil, we expect great things from him in 2012 and then we'll decide how to proceed. Let's say he'll have to prove himself next season."

Looking at Ferrari's 2011 performance as a whole, Montezemolo was clearly not satisfied, and said that the team's biggest error was not taking enough risks during the winter.

"A mark out of ten for our season? I'd give a 5 which I'll raise to 6 considering the effort and the victory at Silverstone exactly 60 years after Ferrari's first win in F1. But the season started badly, we didn't interpret the regulations well and we didn't take risks in the technology of our project."

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