Ferrari insists it is no rush to finalise who will partner Fernando Alonso next year, with Mark Webber’s decision to commit to Red Bull Racing taking away one of its most obvious options.
Webber held talks with Ferrari about a deal for 2013, but in the end elected to stick with his current team because of the benefits of familiarity.
That move has left Ferrari with a tough choice now to work out who will be best to partner Alonso next season – especially because Felipe Massa has delivered a promising lift in form since the Monaco Grand Prix.
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said that his outfit would wait before deciding on its plans, but he did suggest that Massa was now back to his best – which suggests he could yet be given another year’s contract.
“I have said all the time that we are in no rush,” explained Domenicali, speaking before news of Webber’s contract extension with Red Bull Racing was confirmed.
“I am happy to see that Felipe was fourth [at Silverstone]. He was very unlucky in Valencia, so I think it [his struggle] is all over.
“I am happy to see after a very difficult start that he is in this shape and I really hope he can keep it up to the end.”
Massa has also received some good backing from Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, who noted that the Brazilian’s points at Silverstone contributed to the team moving up to second place in the constructors’ championship.
“I am very pleased to have seen that Felipe was very quick, fighting hard and consistently throughout the weekend,” di Montezemolo told the Ferrari website. “It was very important for him and for us, because it is partly due to the points he scored that we have moved up to second in the constructors’ classification.”
Helm Glöckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith
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