I was shocked when I read your article there, Olga. The thought of Hamilton's dad, who manages Paul di Resta, negotiating with McLaren to get a seat that his son is leaving vacant. " title="blink" /> Doesn't that just strike you as.. odd? " title="sneak" />
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo plays down 'inexperienced' Sergio Perez's chances of taking Felipe Massa's seat By Pablo Elizalde Friday, June 1st 2012, 16:19 GMT
Sergio PerezFerrari president Luca di Montezemolo has poured cold water on speculation linking Sergio Perez with the team, saying the Mexican is too inexperienced for the Italian squad.
Perez, who is part of Ferrari's young-driver programme, has been mentioned as a contender for Felipe Massa's seat after the Brazilian endured a dismal start to the season.
Sauber driver Perez pushed Massa's team-mate Fernando Alonso for victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier this year.
But speaking at the FT luxury conference on Friday, di Montezemolo said Perez still needs more experience before he is a candidate for a drive at Ferrari.
"Perez is a good driver but to drive a Ferrari you need more experience," di Montezemolo was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"I think he is one of the potential best young drivers for the future but before putting a young driver in a Ferrari I need more experience and more results."
The Ferrari boss also denied that a decision on Massa's future had already being made.
"We never take a decision before the second half of the season." he added.
Di Montezemolo believes Massa's season will continue to improve after his best race of the year in Monaco last weekend.
"I'm sure that, because we are improving our car, the car will be less difficult to drive," said di Montezemolo. "And I expect from Felipe better performances as I have already seen in Monte Carlo, because in Monte Carlo he was among the five quickest drivers on the track and in the qualifiers.
"So I hope he will continue like this. At the moment we are not taking any decision yet for the future, because it is too early."
Perez not yet ready for Ferrari drive - Montezemolo ESPNF1 Staff June 1, 2012
Sergio Perez has been linked to a Ferrari drive alongside Fernando Alonso
Zitat Perez was linked to a Ferrari drive earlier this season, and after finishing second at the Malaysian Grand Prix in a Sauber there were suggestions he could replace Massa before the end of the year. Massa is out of contract at the end of 2012 and Ferrari is expected to replace him, but Montezemolo said Perez, who is a Ferrari development driver, still needs to prove himself before making the step up to the race team.
"Perez is a good driver but to drive a Ferrari you need more experience," he told Reuters. "I think he is one of the potential best young drivers for the future but before putting a young driver in a Ferrari I need more experience and more results."
At the Monaco Grand Prix, Massa showed signs of recovering from his poor start to the season with his first appearance in the top-ten qualifying shootout and a sixth place finish. Montezemolo said the Brazilian would have to maintain that form if he wants to be considered for a drive next year.
"I'm sure that, because we are improving our car, the car will be less difficult to drive," he said. "And I expect from Felipe better performances as I have already seen in Monte Carlo, because in Monte Carlo he was among the five quickest drivers on the track and in the qualifiers. So I hope he will continue like this. At the moment we are not taking any decision yet for the future, because it is too early."
I found this great Finnish lady Kartina who's so nice to do some decent translating for us....Nothing compares to the soul Nicole was putting in the translations but i'm sure it will be better than google translate...to try her style i asked her to translate the article i posted a few posts earlier....i think its much better! " title="ii" />
24.05.2012 15:08, heikki.kulta
ZitatTwo to be beheaded ! At this moment the rumours from the Formula 1 drivers’ market are going around. As the prestige of the teams has changed so radically( and to my mind comes Red Bull losing its superiority )it seems that drivers are stalling their decisions. It seems that Felippe Massa and Michael Schumaher might be driving for their last season. Just to pass my time I asked my newspaper colleagues here at the Monaco harbor pressroom, which of the 2 drivers is about to say farewell to Monaco racetrack. A long term F 1 Brazilian reporter, Livio Oriccio is shaking his head behind his glasses sadly. - Massa will drive his car till the end of the period and after that a small car somewhere in the world. With his attitude he is not going far. Massa is even worse than Rubens Barichello in his time. - Massa has become persona non grata in Brazil. People reading my blog have sent a wish to Ferrari to get rid of Massa. They think Massa is a shame to Brazil.It seems we have the same trend as you had in Finland a couple a years ago..Interest in Formula 1 is decreasing. -Last Wednesday Massa told me that he has had psychological problems because of Fernando Alonso. He has started the race to win but has always lost for a half a second. He should have had Eddie Ervine’s attitude; to be slower and then do his job as best he can. On the other hand the Brazilian colleague believes that Shumacher’s F1 career is about to end. - I must apologise to Kimi Raikkonen’s fans in Brazil and elsewhere, when I believed that his career was over and that he needed at least half a year to get used to these tracks after he had returned. Kimi has proved how wrong I was and what a wonderful driver he really is ! Next to Oriccio,a hard working TS assitant, Luis Vasconselos nods his head in agreement concerning Massa’s future. - Massa knows already that he is out. In Schumaher’s case somebody from the team should inform him, that he is not needed any more. He won’t leave otherwise. Definetly Ross Brawn has drawn his own conclusions. Nico Rosberg has “murded” Schumacher,Vasconcelos thinks.I don’t believe that any of these two gentlemen is in, but to say who is out for sure,that is Massa,says a British reporter Bob MacKenzie,who is known from his interviews as a person who forced Schumacer in the corner by asking him if it were be better for him to announce his departure. -I asked excatly that on Wednesday ,but he hid himself behind the answer ,that with a car he could win and that’s why he does not think of anything else. The truth is that he cannot beat Rosberg and if somebody can win with a car, then it’s Nico who can. The German Michael Schmidt also puts his thumbs down on Massa. -Michael will probably continue. He’s got nothing else in his life, like all the other top drivers. Ask ,for example ,Kimi Raikkonen , if he could do anything than drive F1 ! There’s nobody in Mercedes to have guts to say Michael “thank you and goodbye”. The Italian Marco Evangelisti is the only one to oppose the general opinion. -Even if Massa did not continue with Ferrari,he would find a place in a smaller team. In case of Schumaher I don’t see an option for him to drive next year. - Massa’s departure depends on Ferrari finding a suitable team driver for Fernando Allonso.I don’t believe that Mark Webber or Jenson Button would join the team. Some young driver is in sight and from the beginning of the period there’s a rumour of Sergio Perez. If Sauber doesn’t price him to heavens,Perez might take Massa’s place, Evangelisti adds. Are there any readers of this column in favor or opposing Massa and Schumacher continuing their careers ?
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Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:21 pm
" title="blink" /> Doesn't that just strike you as.. odd? 
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