For the first time Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro fans and enthusiasts had the possibility to interact with the Brazilian driver Felipe Massa in a video chat only a few days before the start of the 2010 season. Before the Bahrain GP Massa showed his enthusiasm for going back onto the track in F1. He underlined that good work has been done with the F10, with over 100 laps per day, while the single-seater seems to be extremely consistent with lots of fuel on board and also with an almost empty tank, but also its reliability, one of the most important issues, has been pointing in the right direction during the tests before the start of the season.

What do you think about the new rules introduced this year and do you have to adapt your driving style?
”Yes, definitely you need to change a little bit your driving style because you’re driving the car with low fuel load during qualifying and with a full tank in the race. The car is much more lazy to drive, and the reaction time is slower. We have to understand how to drive the car at the start and also afterwards, when we’ve got less downforce due to less petrol on board, but higher tyre wear.”

The fact that there won’t be any KERS this year, will this influence the car’s set up and in addition, what are the technical improvements in the F10 compared to the F60?
“Well, first of all we’ve got a completely different car this year, we don’t have KERS and we have a different diffuser. This car is much better to drive, because it has more downforce, it’s more stable and it has a higher grip.”

What is the rule, if there any, that determined Formula 1’s success?
“First of all, it’s the sport. It’s the most important thing. There is competition. There is overtaking. Then there are the cars. They are incredible. Technology turns the cars more incredible every year. The cars we’re driving are extreme. This all together makes up Formula 1 and makes it so famous, how we all like it.”

Will the driver have a greater say when it’s time to come into the pits?
“The decision will be taken by the engineers, but also by the drivers.”

Do you have any information about the new section at the Sakhir circuit and how the F1 will adapt itself to the track’s new layout?
”I’ve checked the new section in Bahrain and I don’t have a clear picture yet, but it’s better to be on the track, checking firsthand. It will be bigger and it’s a track I like a lot, because I won there already.”

What are your feelings about the new Ferrari simulator?
“I drove the new simulator for two days and I’m very impressed by the technology, by how close the simulations are to reality. It’s very important for us.” What could be the key factor for you in Bahrain? “Having a good start right into the qualifying, but we also need a very reliable and competitive car, consistent under all track conditions. Obviously also the good form of the driver is important. So it’s a mix of several components.”

Will the 2010 season be like a fresh start for you, after what happened in 2009?
“Naturally what I can say is that I’m happy to be here after what happened in 2009. I’m extremely motivated. The tests went extremely well and I can say that I’m ready 100%.”

Have you experienced anthing special in the eyes of the technicians and the mechanics during these tests e.g. that they want to win more than ever?
“I’ve been with Ferrari for quite a while. I’ve always seen the excitement and the wish to work and win, always being one step ahead. Sometimes the mechanics leave the works at 11pm, because they ware working and they want to find that extra bit in the aerodynamics, in the mechanic. I really like that. It’s great. It makes me want to give more myself.”

What are your thought on Michael’s comeback?
“Michael is a very important person, he had a wonderful career and Ferrari has strong memories. It’s very strange seeing him behind the wheel with a car in a different colour, but it’s nice to see that he wants to be back at racing at 41.”

How does it feel to be a father and what have changed in your life, and will fatherhood make you a quicker driver?
“It’s just a fantastic feeling being a father. He motivates me to work hard, because I know I’ve someone behind me who needs me. I hope he’ll bring me luck, now I’ve got another fan at home.”

You have recently been wearing glasses, do you need them also for driving?
“No, I just have a little bit of myopia, so I just wear them when I’m driving in the evening and when I’m watching a movie. I prefer to read better what’s written on the screen. Usually for racing, also at night, it’s ok”.

Source: Ferrari S.p.A. (Questions rewritten by René Reinar Svendsen for f1ezine.com)