SINGAPORE – Ferrari driver Felipe Massa of Brazil said yesterday he’ll do what it takes to overcome English star Lewis Hamilton’s slim one-point lead in the Drivers’ World Championship standings and win the critical 15th leg of the Formula One Grand Prix season here.
Only four stops are left and Hamilton holds a precarious hairline line over Massa, 78-77. The Singapore race is set tonight, marking the first-ever Formula One night event. Completing the calendar are races in Oyama, Japan, on Oct. 12, Shanghai on Oct. 19 and Sao Paolo on Nov. 2.
Massa, 27, said he’s not reworking his body clock to conform to local time, reasoning that his reflexes must be sharp as if racing during the day on the other side of the world.
“I walked around the track at 3 a.m. last Wednesday,” said Massa in a private interview arranged by Shell, which, as Ferrari’s technical partner for over 60 years, provides V-power fuel and lubricants to the two-man team. “The next day, I rode a bike, checking the route, studying the layout, also after midnight. I want to stay awake at night.”
Racing at 10 p.m. isn’t the only unique challenge facing Massa and Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen and 18 drivers from nine other teams. More extraordinary conditions are driving on a circuit illuminated by 1,500 lamps on 246 pylons at 32-meter intervals, draining humidity, limited overtaking opportunities due to 23 turns along the 5.06-kilometer circuit length and a counter-clockwise direction.
Massa, however, is unperturbed.
“Everybody has the same goal,” he said. “We all want to win. We know there’s pressure but it’s our job to take the pressure. Personally, I don’t put extra pressure on myself, just because I’m a point behind Lewis and we’re racing under unfamiliar conditions. This is a difficult course, more difficult than Valencia (Spain), which has longer straights. There are tight turns where if you miss the line, you could damage your chassis.”
Massa explained that one turn at the end of St. Andrew’s Road is a tight chicane – a series of close curves – with big bumps that could cause serious car damage.
Massa said whether he’ll drive aggressively or conservatively depends on how the race progresses.
“How I drive depends on my start position, how the race goes,” he said. “My goal is to score as many points as I can. I might drive more aggressively if I’m behind or I might just make sure I finish to bring the points home. I’ll find the right approach for the race.”
Visibility shouldn’t be a problem, said Massa.
“The lighting is well done,” he continued. “It’ll be fine. Of course, it’s difficult driving but I don’t think there will be glare. I’ve done night racing before in Brazil but that was in a kart on a limited grid. I’ll do my best, no matter the conditions. I just need to be consistent and push my car to reach its limit. I need my feet to be on the ground. The team, the drivers and our partners are working very hard for us to succeed.”
Massa said the key to his improvement this season is consistency.
“I think there is a big possibility for me to win,” he went on. “I need to believe that. I’ll try to get the best of everything. I’ve had great races this season but I’ve produced bad results as well.”
Because of the Singapore track’s short lengths, Massa predicted a slow race but that doesn’t mean it’ll be unexciting. In fact, the tricky turns pose more danger to the drivers who must negotiate 61 laps on a race length of 309.087 kilometers.
On account of several first and second-gear bends, an average lap speed of only 175 kilometers per hour was estimated. But a few long stretches could bring the speed up to at least 308 kph.
So far this season, Massa has won five races compared to Hamilton’s four but is behind by a point in the standings because of the Englishman’s higher overall finishes. Massa began the campaign on a sour note, retiring in the first two legs and didn’t finish the 11th leg in Hungary.
Last Friday night, the 20 drivers tested the course in two 90-minute practice sessions, the first at 7 p.m. and the second at 10 p.m. Massa said the adjustment period is crucial to get ready for the race tonight.
Massa said Shell’s support has been vital in pushing him close to the top.
“You can’t gain extra horsepower in your engine so you push harder to find more power from your fuel,” he added. “Shell was behind every podium finish I’ve had. When I drove for another team, I was also powered by Shell. The V-power fuel gives me fantastic performance in all areas.”
Massa said to win, he must deliver a perfect race.
“You’ve got to consider everything – the tires, visibility and of course, the fuel,” he said.
Last year, Raikkonen won the Drivers’ World Championship in a late surge, storming back from a 17-point deficit with two races left to edge Hamilton.
Aside from the individual trophy, up for grabs is the Constructors’ title which tallies the total points earned by the cars of each team. Ferrari leads McLaren, 134-129, in the race with BMW Sauber the only other team with at least 100 points.
The 10 teams competing in tonight’s historic event are Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes, BMW Sauber, Toyota, Renault, Toro Rosso-Ferrari, Red Bull-Renault, Williams-Toyota, Honda and Force India-Ferrari.