Brazilian · São Paulo, Brazil · Born 25 April 1981Brazilian Formula 1 racing driver who competed from 2002-2017, winning 11 Grand Prix races and finishing as championship runner-up in 2008 with Ferrari.
Felipe Massa crossed the finish line first at his home Brazilian Grand Prix in 2008 believing he had won the Formula One World Championship, only for Lewis Hamilton to overtake the final car in front of him on the last corner of the last lap, snatching the title from Massa by a single point. He made his Formula One debut with Sauber in 2002, before joining Ferrari in 2006, where he would spend the majority of his career. Massa won 11 Grand Prix across 15 seasons, and came agonisingly close to the World Championship in 2008, leading the standings as he crossed the finish line first at his home race in Brazil, only for Lewis Hamilton to overtake the final car ahead of him on the last corner of the last lap, snatching the title by a single point in one of the most dramatic conclusions in the sport's history. Massa suffered a serious, near career-ending head injury during qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, when a loose spring from another car struck his helmet at high speed, but he made a determined recovery to return to competition the following season. Massa moved to Williams in 2014, retiring from Formula One in 2017, and later pursued legal action regarding the fallout of the controversial 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in which a deliberate crash by a rival team was found to have influenced that year's title fight. He has continued racing in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series and IMSA sports car competition.
Nearly winning 2008 F1 World Championship, losing by one point to Lewis Hamilton
How They Played
Aggressive racer with strong qualifying pace, particularly effective at home circuit Interlagos
Lasting Impact
One of Brazil's most successful F1 drivers who came closest to continuing Brazil's world championship tradition
Career Honours
- Formula 1 Vice World Champion 2008 (lost title by single point to Lewis Hamilton)
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Bahrain Grand Prix 2008
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Turkish Grand Prix 2006
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Brazilian Grand Prix 2006
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Brazilian Grand Prix 2008
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Spanish Grand Prix 2008
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Turkish Grand Prix 2007
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - French Grand Prix 2008
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - German Grand Prix 2008
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Bahrain Grand Prix 2007
- Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Malaysian Grand Prix 2008
- Formula 1 Constructors' Champion 2007 (Ferrari)
- Formula 1 Constructors' Champion 2008 (Ferrari)
- Formula 2 (F3000) Champion 2001
- Brazilian Formula Chevrolet Champion 1999
- FIA Formula 1 Constructors' Championship Runner-Up 2007 and 2008 (Ferrari driver)
- Most Grand Prix Wins by a Brazilian driver after Ayrton Senna (11 career victories)
| Constructor | Season(s) | Races |
|---|---|---|
| Sauber | 2002–2005 | 53 |
| Ferrari (Test Driver) | 2003 | — |
| Scuderia Ferrari | 2006–2013 | 141 |
| Williams | 2014–2017 | 78 |
| Venturi Formula E Team | 2018–2020 | 24 |
| Career Total | — | 296 |
Brazilian Athletes