Former Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has insisted that the Formula E champioship could be more compttitive than the Formula 1 competition. The Brazilian won 11 Formula 1 grands prix for the Maranello team and retired from the sport in 2017 after 15 seasons, but Felipe then signed a three-year deal to race for Venturi in the all-electric Formula E series.
“I think what makes things interesting in Formula E, and I really hope it happens with me, is that many drivers are able to win the race,” Massa said to BBC Sport – “Maybe many drivers can win the championship. I think it is a lot closer compared to the cars in Formula E and cars in Formula 1.”
The beginning of the Formula E season takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Felipe Massa said he chose to join Formula E because it allows him to extend his career: “It is a championship I can race not only for one year and that’s it,” he said – “I can maybe race for a few years and still enjoy my career until I really decide to stop. I want to keep having fun like I have done all my life.”
There are 13 races in 12 cities including Paris, Rome and a double header in New York to close the season, from 15 December to 14 July 2019.
Felipe Massa says he feels ready for the challenge of adapting to tighter street circuits and the new Gen2 car, which has double the energy storage capacity of the Gen1 model: “I’m racing this season and I don’t know any tracks – except Monaco, half of the track I know,” he added – “The understanding about all these batteries, how to use them in the perfect way – especially during the race – the way you need to save and charge them. Let’s see how much I learn from the first race but I’ve already learned a lot from the first time I was in the car. In testing everything went quite good I would say but now is when it counts.” – he concluded.
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