MAY 14, 2012

Massa under threat at Ferrari?

After another disappointing performance in Spain, albeit affected by a drive through penalty, Felipe Massa's tenure of the second Ferrari could be in imminent danger.

After another disappointing performance in Spain, albeit affected by a drive through penalty, Felipe Massa's tenure of the second Ferrari could be in imminent danger.

Despite Fernando Alonso's second place putting him joint top of the drivers' championship with Sebastian Vettel on 61 points, in the constructors' championship Ferrari lies only fourth, some 46 points behind leaders Red Bull Racing.

Post-race, Ferrari sporting director Stefano Domenicali said: "Fernando leads the classification: this must be a boost for all our people who work at home and at the track. We expect Felipe to react and fight back after this unlucky weekend: starting in Monaco: we absolutely need his points to fight for the constructors championship."

Some are taking that as a thinly-disguised message that Massa must get it together or risk being replaced sooner rather than later. The word is that it could happen as early as the Canadian GP in Montreal.

One scenario is that Sergio Perez moves across from Sauber. Fuel was added to that particular fire when Adrian Sutil, unemployed this year, was spotted paying Sauber a visit in Spain.

Another possibility is that a deal is done for Paul Di Resta to move from Force India, with Ferrari test driver Jules Bianchi slotting in alongside Nico Hulkenberg. None other than Jackie Stewart said pre-weekend that Di Resta would be a good fit at Ferrari and one must wonder why he said it when he did...

Both Massa and Bianchi are managed by Nicolas Todt, son of FIA president, Jean.