Felipe Massa | Grease n Gasoline

Ferrari lets 2013 Massa contract ‘option’ expire
Jul.27 (GMM) Ferrari has allowed a contract ‘option’ on Felipe Massa’s services for the 2013 season to expire, according to Italy’s Autosprint magazine.Amid the Brazilian’s early struggles in 2012, it appeared a certainty that the Italian team was on the market for a new teammate for Fernando Alonso.But Massa sped up as the F2012 also improved, even though it emerges that in the past days Ferrari let a one-sided contract option – that would have seen Massa definitely stay next season – expire.It means that if the 31-year-old races a Ferrari for an eighth consecutive season in 2013, he will have agreed a brand new contract.Massa told reporters in Hungary on Thursday that if he cannot stay at Ferrari, he could leave formula one altogether.

“I want to stay in formula one, but it has to be in a situation where I am in formula one to race, not just to participate,” he said.”If for whatever reason I don’t have the chance to stay in Ferrari, then I will try and find a direction where I can race.”But, otherwise, small teams? I’m not interested.”

ARTICLE BY http://www.motorsport.com/

Felipe Massa is celebrating his 31st Birthday today

Felipe Massa, born 25 April 1981 is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He finished second in the 2008 Drivers’ World Championship, and is under contract to race for Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the 2012 season

Felipe Massa – Feliz Aniversário !!!

Early years

Born in São Paulo, Massa is a Brazilian whose grandfather emigrated from Cerignola, Italy.

Massa began karting when he was 8 years old, finishing fourth in his first season. He continued in national and international championships for 7 years, and in 1998 moved into Formula Chevrolet, finishing the Brazilian championship in fifth place. During the following season, he won 3 of the 10 races and claimed the championship. In 2000, he moved to Europe to compete in the Italian Formula Renault series, winning both the Italian and the European Formula Renault championships that year. He could have moved to Formula Three, but instead chose the Euro Formula 3000, where he won 6 of the 8 races and the championship. He was then offered a Formula 1 test with the Sauber team, who signed him for 2002. He also drove for Alfa Romeo in the European Touring Car Championship as a guest driver.