Nov.15 (GMM) Pressure is once again mounting on Ferrari to reconsider its driver lineup for 2012.

The Maranello team said before Abu Dhabi that, contrary to recent speculation, Felipe Massa's contract for next season will definitely be honoured.

"Massa? I think the car is not the best," said team co-owner and founder Enzo Ferrari's son Piero Ferrari in Abu Dhabi, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"With a car as good as he had in 2008 he will have success again. He has given a lot to Ferrari and we should continue with him," he added.

In his new column for El Pais newspaper, veteran engineer Joan Villadelprat does not agree with his former team's choice.

"Alonso is the lead Ferrari driver and although that is incontestable, it is because he has earned it," he wrote.

"Looking at Massa's last races, where while Alonso seems to be stronger with the pressure, Massa just deflates.

"At this point he is not even the second Ferrari driver; he is not even close to that.

"In my view, Ferrari is wrong strategically to keep him as Alonso's teammate, as while it is comfortable because the Spaniard is not threatened, any driver always does well to have someone beside to push him.

"That's what you see with Button and Hamilton, and it's true to say that in their struggles last year, Sebastian Vettel came out much stronger because Mark Webber demanded so much from him."

Agreed Rome newspaper Il Tempo: "The truth is that Massa is just too slow to be a Ferrari driver."

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version