F1 2013 - Mid-Season Report

Ferrari (194 Points)

All is not well at Ferrari. After a relatively strong start to the season, with Alonso picking up two wins from the 1st five races, their pace has dropped off considerably and to make matters worst conflict within the team will not help any championship challenge. Ferrari need to step up their game and get themselves back into the fight quickly otherwise it could be another season of disappointment. This three week break could prove decisive.

Fernando Alonso - 9 (133 Points)

Again Fernando has been the star of the show at Ferrari, proving once again why he is arguably the best driver on the grid. He manages to drag that car into places it doesn€™t deserve to be. Gaining two wins already this season in China and Spain, Alonso will be hoping Ferrari€™s pace improves after the summer break. His last four finishes of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th show a worrying trend. Although Alonso has never been seen as a phenomenal qualifier, he has out qualified team Felipe Massa 7-3, but more importantly, he has beaten Massa at every race where both cars have finished. Alonso knows his day is Sunday. However, after the Hungarian Grand Prix, reports have been circulating over the possibility of Alonso joining rival team Red Bull, with Alonso partnering Vettel next season. With Luca Di Montezemelo vociferous in Alonso€™s ambiguous remarks, there is certainly more drama to come, especially if Ferrari€™s fortunes do not improve immediately.

Felipe Massa - 7 (61 Points)

Some fans argue that Massa is incredibly lucky to still have a seat at Ferrari after a woeful 2012 campaign. This season has been better, with Massa gaining a sole podium at the Spanish Grand Prix highlighting he still has good pace when the set up on the car is right. He has also generated a string of solid points finishes but these look pale in comparison to what Alonso achieves in the car. Massa€™s qualifying pace has been very respectable, out qualifying Alonso 3 times and being very close when he was beaten, it€™s just in race situations he gets himself into scrappy fights and loses time. A solid 2nd half to the season will boost his confidence There is no arguing the commitment that Massa puts into his driving but the pressure applied by team mate Alonso leads to over-commitment and therefore mistakes start to creep in. There have been too many for Massa this season. Again many have predicted this to be Massa€™s last season with the Italian team but with speculation over Alonso€™s future intensifying, Ferrari may just want to hold onto him a little longer.