Ferrari has confirmed that Felipe Massa will continue with the team in 2013 under a new one-year contract.
The 31-year-old Brazilian’s position in the team had been the subject of great speculation throughout the season as he struggled to come to terms with the 2012 car.
The announcement of the new deal follows a turnaround in form over the last five races however, where Massa has recorded four top five finishes.
“We are pleased to have extended our relationship with Felipe for a further year,” said Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicalli.
“He has been part of our family for over a decade and has shown, especially in this recent part of the season, that he is once again competitive at the highest level, which is what is expected of every driver who gets behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
“We have always supported Felipe, even in the most difficult moments of his career and we are certain of his worth and are sure he will know how to repay the confidence this renewal proves we have in him.”
The length of Massa’s deal is likely to further fuel speculation that Sebastian Vettel could switch to the team from Red Bull for 2014 – a situation that Ferrari itself has acknowledged in a story on its official website.
“Now that Massa’s situation has been cleared up, maybe speculation surrounding Ferrari drivers will calm down for a few days, but that’s probably a vain hope: the rumour mill works round the clock, manned by people who, having said one thing and then the complete opposite, can congratulate themselves on having got it just right,” read the story in part.
“Indeed, this was one of the reasons that pushed Montezemolo and Massa to decide on announcing the renewal today, to put an end to all the speculation.”
