Felipe Massa’s accident this past weekend made top news the world over. Not only because it comes just days after the tragic death of F2 driver Henry Surtees but also because Formula One has never been rocked this hard by injuries in a very long time. Sure there were a number of accidents where the drivers would have to be sent to the medical centre but all emerged fine after short treatment. Massa on the other hand may not be so lucky.
His condition is stable and according to reports, the Ferrari driver has been awakened from a coma induced by the doctors to help with the healing of his fractured skull and bruises on his bran – a potentially life threatening injury. But the question on everybody’s mind is, will he be able to make it back behind the wheel in a short time? If not, who will replace him?
His injuries will almost certainly sideline him for a while so a replacement is needed. Ferrari has their regular test drivers ready to jump into a cockpit whenever a situation arises; Luca Badoer and Marc Gene, who between them have contested nearly 100 Grand Prix. The latter, a 35-year-old Spaniard, was in Peugeot’s winning Le Mans team last month. Gene was also present in Hungary as Ferrari’s reserve driver.
However, as history has shown, Ferrari does opt for drivers outside of their own team. In 1999 when Schumacher broke his leg at the British Grand Prix, Ferrari overlooked its reserve driver Badoer and plumped instead for Mika Salo as the German’s replacement. To strengthen this possibility, Formula One senior statesman and a much respected figure around the paddock, Nikki Lauda has dismissed the duo as “useless”.
So who’s left? Michael Schumacher? Team boss Stefano Domenicali has refused to rule out the notion of a possible reunion of the two giants of the sport, “it would be wrong to say yes or no at this stage,” the Ferrari team boss told the Der Tagesspiegel newspaper. But can it happen? Michael’s manager Wili Weber has ruled out that possibility, “that Michael is going to make a comeback is ruled out,” Weber told Bild newspaper. Apparently Michael no longer has the mandatory super license required to race in Formula One.
So Michael’s out but that still leaves a few others actually, the recently released Sebastian Bourdais has been thought of as a possible candidate but Nikki Lauda again doesn’t think so. “What do you want to do with Bourdais? I can drive (rather than him),” Lauda said. “Honestly. He is a waste of time – there is no way Ferrari would even consider him when he couldn’t perform in a Toro Rosso against Buemi.”
Other names like Nelson Piquet and Nico Hulkenberg have also cropped up but the chances of these two making it to the high-throne of Formula One racing is, you’ve guessed it, no chance. One name does get my attention. Fernando Alonso. Why not? This is the perfect chance for him to make the jump and Ferrari bosses won’t be torn on who to let go between two great drivers – Kimi and Felipe. That’s if Kimi’s interested to continue beyond this year.
Fernando is the perfect candidate – fast, aspiring, relentless, everything that makes up a double world champion. That’s not just a big speculation, there are reports that suggest Fernando Alonso could be decked out in the red of Ferrari as soon as the the Grand Prix in Valencia in 27 days. Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has thrown his weight behind Fernando Alonso and was quoted as saying “If Renault would release Alonso, and if Ferrari want him, it would be the best thing for formula one, for Valencia, for everybody.”
Ecclestone refers to the banning of the Renault team from the Valencia GP after an incident in the pit lane got them hauled up by the FIA. A spokesperson for the governing FIA, meanwhile, confirmed that only the Renault team has been banned from Valencia, meaning its drivers are free to compete late next month.
“Alonso in the Ferrari (in Valencia) is a great idea,” triple world champion Niki Lauda enthused. “At least Ferrari should try it. It would be good for the Scuderia, for Spain, for Alonso and the formula one,” the great Austrian added.
Lauda noted however that Alonso’s team boss Flavio Briatore is likely to have the final word, although the Spanish newspaper AS earlier on Monday pointed out that the 27-year-old’s Renault contract guarantees him a seat at each GP in 2009.
So Massa’s seat is up for grabs and all possibilities points towards a Ferrari Alonso union. It would be great to see Kimi and Fernando go head to head and with the improvement of the Mclaren car, you could add Lewis Hamilton into the picture too, not forgetting Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, and now Mark Webber – all very fast, very capable, very competitive and all in a fast car. Formula One could get interesting again.
Afterthought – 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve is on the prowl for a Formula One seat as well. Would Ferrari opt for him? We’ll just have to wait and see.
