italiaspeed.com: SCUDERIA FERRARI - 2010 F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Felipe Massa, who today signed a contact extension with Ferrari, has just visited the FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading) Fluminense, moored 120 km off the Brazilian coastline. This is a type of platform used for collecting hydrocarbons extracted from two oilfields situated in an area extending over 3.3 kilometres and then pumping it onto tankers which take it to shore. It was an unusual place to find Felipe, but not all that strange given that this is where the crude oil comes from, which is then processed by Shell into the fuel and lubricants used in road cars and also the Ferrari Formula 1 cars. “It was a very interesting experience,” said Felipe. “It’s incredible to see how complicated is the extraction process and management of the crude oil on this ship. When I was at the control desk, it reminded me of looking at the telemetry from our cars when we are on track: every parameter can be studied in real time 24 hours a day.” During the visit, which took place last Friday, Massa met all the “inhabitants” of this floating artificial island, who gave him a very warm welcome: naturally there were many Brazilians in the crew, but also Americans, Filipinos and one Italian. They gave him a guided tour of the ship where he was able to see how much care and attention on the installation goes into fundamental aspects like safety and the environment. Over the past seven years, there has not been a single incident to interrupt its activity which has seen 140 offloads of hydrocarbons without any leaks. Furthermore, the pilot flame does not run continuously and CO2 emissions are reduced to a minimum. “Safety in Formula 1 is a priority and I can see the same is true here,” added Massa. “But that’s not the only thing it has in common with my world. Here too, teamwork is the key and each individual has to work in harmony with everyone else to get the job done as well as possible.”

After protracted negotiations Felipe Massa, whose contract was ticking down to expiry at the end of this grand prix season, has today signed a new two-year extension that will see the Brazil racing in the red colours of Ferrari until the end of 2012. A statement issued in Maranello this morning confirmed the news: "Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro announces that it has extended its contract with Felipe Massa, who will now drive for the team until the end of the 2012 racing season."

Felipe Massa (born 25 April 1981) has been closely involved with the Scuderia since 2001. To date, he has competed in 69 grands prix for the famous Italian team: he has taken eleven wins, 30 podium placings, 51 points finishes, fifteen pole positions and twelve fastest race laps, scoring a total of 360 F1 World Championship points. In total combining Ferrari and Sauber, Massa has started 121 grands prix and collected 387 points, all of which were scored using Ferrari engines.

The Brazilian started his career with the Swiss Sauber team, using Ferrari 3.0 litre V10 engines, in 2002, with a fifth place finish in the Spanish Grand Prix being the highlight of his rookie season which also netted five points. Ousted from the team in 2003 he spent the year as a test driver for Ferrari before two more grand prix seasons beckoned with the Sauber, in 2004-2005. In 2006 he was drafted into the Scuderia's line-up as team-mate to Michael Schumacher after he signed a two year contract and Massa finished third in the title race behind world champion Fernando Alonso and the German Ferrari driver.

For 2007 he had a new team mate in the shape of Kimi Raikkonen and while the Finn went on to win the title Massa was placed fourth, meanwhile his Ferrari contract was extended up to the end of this season. 2008 was Massa's best F1 year to date, he finished second in the championship classification to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton by one point, agonisingly conceding the world title on the final lap of the final race of the year, his home event, the Brazilian Grand Prix. Last year the Brazilian struggled to pick up points thanks to the uncompetitive F60 single-seater and had collected just 22 points, when, on 29 July, he suffered a head injury during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix which kept him out of racing until the start of this season. Massa has a new team mate this season, his third since he joined Ferrari, in the shape of former Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso, and a second place finish is the Brazilian's best result so far this year.

“I am happy to be given the opportunity to drive for Ferrari for a further two seasons,” Massa commented after the extension anouncement today. “Throughout my entire Formula 1 career, I have always raced with an engine made in Maranello and it is a matter of pride for me to be able to continue working with a team that I regard as a second family.”

“Felipe has been part of Ferrari for almost a decade and together with us, he has grown as a driver and as a man, going through some very difficult times as well as giving us moments of great happiness,” commented Stefano Domenicali. “We wanted to show proof of stability for the future, believing in the worth of a driver pairing that is without equal in terms of talent, speed and its ability to work together for the good of the team.”

Earlier this week Massa was looking forward to an upturn in the team's waning fortunes at the Canadian Grand Prix this coming weekend. “We are about to tackle an important race in Montreal, where Ferrari must try and be more competitive than we were in Turkey,” said the Brazilian driver. “On paper, the circuit should be better suited to the characteristics of the F10, but we will have to wait until Friday to see what the situation really is.”