Breaking news
Formula 1
Kubica "will have issues" if he races in F1 - Massa
Felipe Massa has questioned the credibility of both Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta as potential Williams drivers for the 2018 Formula 1 season.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Oct 25, 2017, 10:45 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Grove team is still considering its options for next year, with tech chief Paddy Lowe insisting that Massa is still a candidate, alongside Kubica, di Resta and Pascal Wehrlein.
Kubica has tested for Williams twice - at Silverstone and Hungaroring - as the team evaluated his performance following the accident that put an end to his F1 career in 2011.
However, Massa believes that it is inevitable that the Pole will be hampered by physical issues.
"I have no idea how he's driving, first of all," he said in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com's GP Gazette.
"To be honest, I cannot do what he's doing, driving with only one hand.
"It's impossible for me to believe that he will not suffer with some of the races with this car that we're driving that is a lot more difficult physically.
"I really respect what he's doing, and what he's doing is just amazing. But it's impossible to believe that he will not have some issues."
Massa also reckons di Resta would not be a good choice for the team, adding that the Scotsman's recent record in German touring car series DTM has not been convincing.
Di Resta has finished 15th, eighth, fifth and 11th in the four DTM seasons he has contested since losing his Force India F1 drive at the end of 2013.
"I don't believe he's the right driver for the team, to develop the car and show the results and everything," Massa said.
"Plus I mean I don't think he's doing a great job in what he's racing as well. Anyway, I'm not here to complain or say about anything, that's only my opinion."
Massa acknowledged that there is nothing more he can do to influence the team's decision.
"I'm quite confident that people know what is the best for the team. This is pretty much what people know.
"As I said, sometimes in F1 it's not only your talent that counts, sometimes you have some other things around, and this is unfortunately part of F1 for some of the teams."
Massa, who returned to Williams this year after having announced his retirement in 2016, says he is prepared for 2017 to turn out to be his last season.
"Yeah, sure, but I'm good on that. I have zero frustration. As I've said before, I did a lot more than I expected. So if it needs to finish, it's the time. If it doesn't need to finish, it's because maybe something is still reserved.
"As I said, I'm quite relaxed, thinking about my job, thinking about my car. The time for being frustrated is passed already in my career."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Motorstore Gallery featured photo: The wall of F1 champions
Next article Tech analysis: The upgrade mitigating McLaren's US GP letdown
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Apr 10, 2024
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1 Apr 10, 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1 Apr 10, 2024
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
More from
Felipe Massa
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
2 mo
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Defendant ordered to pay £250,000 legal fees in Felipe Massa F1 title case
Formula 1
Formula 1 8 mo
Defendant ordered to pay £250,000 legal fees in Felipe Massa F1 title case
Felipe Massa’s F1 2008 lawsuit will proceed to trial
Formula 1
Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
11 mo
Felipe Massa’s F1 2008 lawsuit will proceed to trial
More from
Williams
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
22 h
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
3 d
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Latest news
2027 Formula E drivers and teams: The line-up so far
Formula E
FE Formula E 9 min
2027 Formula E drivers and teams: The line-up so far
Kimi Antonelli meets Italian president Sergio Mattarella
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 32 min
Kimi Antonelli meets Italian president Sergio Mattarella
How Qatar red flag helped Johann Zarco put Barcelona crash behind him
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
How Qatar red flag helped Johann Zarco put Barcelona crash behind him
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe