Brazilian longing and the silence on Massa
The drivers love the track, the fans love the drivers, the Autódromo José Carlos Pace breathes Formula 1 history. A place made for great dramas and triumphs. 800 meters above sea level, in the middle of a lively residential area. São Paulo practically never disappoints; in addition to the thrilling circuit, you can rely on spectacle thanks to the weather. There is just one thing that the local fans lack: an idol of their own.
A country that produced drivers such as Ayrton Senna or three-time world champion Nelson Piquet is without a regular driver. Nevertheless, Aston Martin announced the contract extension with Felipe Drugovich as test and replacement driver for the coming year just in time for the Interlagos PS Carnival.
"Europe dominates motorsport"
However, the 23-year-old former Formula 2 champion also knows why it is so difficult for Brazilians. "Motorsport is dominated by Europe," he emphasized. For a young driver from South America, this means: "You have to travel around the world, you don't see your family often. It's pretty difficult if you're not from Europe."
The fact that 19-year-old Gabriel Bortoleto recently won the Formula 3 title fueled hopes of a Brazilian comeback on the grid at the home race. The last one to do so in São Paulo was Felipe Massa. Similar to his compatriot Rubens Barrichello, Massa's Formula 1 biography was more of a helper. The big dream of winning the title remained unfulfilled.
But not if the 42-year-old Paulista and his lawyers have their way. They want to contest the world championship standings 15 years ago because of the scandalous race in Singapore in 2008 and are still waiting for a reaction from the Formula 1 management and the International Automobile Federation before possibly going to civil court.
Massa wants the world championship title retrospectively
There had been a staged accident in the race at the time, and Massa was ultimately left without points due to the course of the race and a serious pit stop mistake. And at the finale on his home track, even victory was not enough. Lewis Hamilton's overtaking maneuver on the last few meters against the then Toyota driver Timo Glock caused Massa, his family in the Ferrari pits and the Brazilian fans a brutal emotional collision.
"It was crazy back then, I felt like public enemy number one," Hamilton recalled of the incident. When asked about Massa's attempt to win the world championship retrospectively, the drivers tended to keep quiet, with Hamilton simply replying: "I don't pay any attention to it."
Even in the Brazilian newspapers, Massa's bid to recapture the championship, who will probably not be coming to the circuit for the Grand Prix, did not play a role. Instead, the upcoming Copa Libertadores final on Saturday in Rio between Fluminense and Argentina's cult club Boca Juniors dominated the sports headlines. Soccer with domestic participation beats Formula 1 without regular drivers.
Brazil wants to write Formula 1 history again
Those who are now becoming idols for the fans raved about the country and its people. Like Hamilton in particular. After all, the 38-year-old Briton has even been an honorary citizen of Brazil for a year now. And on Thursday, he appeared at the track in a kind of Brazil and Ayrton Senna tribute outfit: "He was such a great hero for many of us."
It took Senna eight attempts to win his home race. 1991 was the year. Heavily marked and completely exhausted after having to drive the last few laps in sixth gear due to gearbox problems, he needed help to lift the trophy. On May 1, 1994, Senna's accidental death in Imola plunged the whole country into deep mourning. Almost 30 years later, his grave at the Cemitério Parque Morumby remains a place of pilgrimage for fans in this Formula 1-crazy country, which itself wants to write Formula 1 history again.
- Despite Felipe Drugovich's contract extension with Aston Martin, the absence of a regular Formula 1 driver from Brazil continues to echo in the Motorsport scene, with fans longing for a local champion like Felipe Massa, who last tasted success in São Paulo against formidable opponents like Lewis Hamilton.
- In the bustling world of Motorsport, the GP Brazil serves as a battleground for Formula 1 titans, and it was here that Felipe Massa lost an opportunity to win the world championship in a controversial race involving Hamilton, a loss that Massa is still attempting to rectify due to alleged misconduct during the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008.
Source: www.dpa.com
