Massa on equal terms with Alonso - Domenicali
Felipe Massa has the full backing of his team principal © Sutton Images
Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali has put his support behind Felipe Massa ahead of the start of the season and insists he will enter the first grand prix on equal terms with team-mate Fernando Alonso.
Massa had a torrid 2010 season and finished over 100 points adrift of Fernando Alonso in the standings. He struggled with the narrower front Bridgestone tyres throughout the season, but when he finally clicked with the Ferrari F10 at the German Grand Prix he was asked to move over to let Alonso take victory. From that point onwards the points gap between him and Alonso grew wider as he appeared to lose confidence.
However, Domenicali insists he is fully confident Massa will bounce back and said there will be no favouritism shown towards either Ferrari driver at the start of the year.
"Felipe had a difficult season, but I am totally convinced that he will know how to react in just the right way, as he capable of doing," he said at Ferrari's Wrooom media event. "In fact, he has often been under pressure and in these situations, he has delivered in a way that surprised many people.
"He is a total professional, who has grown here with us and we can count on him: I expect him to be motivated to the maximum. We want to have two strong drivers capable of winning: that is what you need if you aspire to winning both titles. As usual there is no hierarchy at the start of the season as that is determined by what happens on track."
When questioned on the incident at the German Grand Prix, Domenicali admitted it had been a team decision involving the pit wall as well as the drivers, but maintained it was the right decision for that moment in time.
"It is one thing to make a decision on the spur of the moment and another to do so with hindsight, having taken stock of the situation," Domenicali said. "Having said that, I think that in Germany, the team - which means the management, the engineers and the drivers - made the best choice.
"I am pleased to see that, in the end, the ban on team orders was repealed: they have always existed and there has just been a clarification aimed at providing greater transparency. If something prejudicial should happen, there is article 151 of the Sporting Regulations to right any wrongs, as there has always been."
Credit: ESPN F1 (espn.com)
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