Felipe Massa’s contract with Scuderia Ferrari ends at the end of 2012, and many fans of Formula One believed the Brazilian driver would be looking elsewhere for a ride in the 2013 F1 season. Citing Massa’a lackluster performance throughout much of the 2012 season, critics were sure he’d be replaced by Lewis Hamilton or perhaps Sergio Perez, the rising star from Mexico.
Then, the stars aligned in Massa’s favor. Lewis Hamilton announced he was leaving McLaren Mercedes to join the Mercedes AMG team, while Sergio Perez would fill his vacant seat at McLaren. With both drivers out of contention for a possibly vacant seat, it seemed like the job was again Massa’s to win or lose.
And win it he did. After finishing no better than fourth throughout much of the season, Massa delivered a second place finish for Ferrari in Japan, backed up by a fourth place finish in Korea. That seemed to resolve any doubt in Ferrari’s mind, and on Tuesday the team announced it had re-signed Massa for the 2013 season.
As is currently the case, Massa’s role will be to back up the team’s star driver, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. While Massa has no chance of winning the championship this year, Alonso does, but only with his teammate’s help in the remaining four races.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
