Felipe Massa concluded his fifteen-season Formula One tenure with 11 Grand Prix victories, 16 pole positions, and 41 podium appearances. The São Paulo native reached his career peak in 2008 while driving for Ferrari, missing the World Drivers' Championship title by a single point during the final lap of the season's concluding race.
Early Career and Formula One Debut
Massa began his racing journey in karting at age eight, eventually progressing to junior formulae by 1998. After capturing the 2001 Euro Formula 3000 Championship with Draco, he entered Formula One with Sauber in 2002. His rookie season included four points finishes, though he spent the 2003 season as a Ferrari test driver before returning to Sauber for 2004 and 2005.
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During the 2008 campaign, he accumulated six race wins and engaged in a competitive championship battle. He eventually lost the title to Lewis Hamilton by a single point. Massa later pursued legal action regarding the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, citing race-fixing incidents that he maintains impacted the final championship standings.
Recovery and Williams Years
At the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, a suspension spring struck Massa's helmet at 162 mph, causing serious injury. He returned to Ferrari in 2010 to drive alongside Fernando Alonso before transitioning to Williams in 2014. During his tenure at Williams, he secured several podiums and claimed pole position at the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix. He officially retired from Formula One following the 2017 season.
Post-Formula One Competition
Beyond his primary racing career, Massa participated in the Formula E championship with Venturi from 2018 through 2020. He has competed in the Stock Car Pro Series in Brazil since 2018 and entered the Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil in 2020. Additionally, he served as the president of the Commission Internationale de Karting from 2017 to 2022 and maintains a role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Fast facts
- Born: 1981, São Paulo
- Formula One career: 2002–2017
- Formula One wins: 11
- Formula One pole positions: 16
- 2008 World Drivers' Championship result: Runner-up
- Teams included: Sauber, Ferrari, Williams, Venturi
- Languages spoken: Italian, English, Brazilian Portuguese
- Role: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Questions readers ask
Did Felipe Massa win the 2008 World Drivers' Championship?
No, he finished as the runner-up, losing the title by one point to Lewis Hamilton in the final race of the season.
What caused Felipe Massa's injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix?
He was struck by a suspension spring from another car that penetrated his helmet while driving at 162 mph.
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