Felipe Massa has admitted he has been “impressed” with his switch to Mercedes power for 2014.<\/p>\n
It is the first time in his F1 career the diminutive Briton has not been powered by a Ferrari engine.<\/p>\n
The Mercedes team, and its customers McLaren, Force India and Massa’s new employer Williams, are tipped to lead in 2014 with a superior ‘power unit’ for the new turbo V6 regulations.<\/p>\n
“I went to the (Mercedes) factory and I was impressed,” Massa is quoted by Italy’s La Repubblica.<\/p>\n
There are rumours Mercedes has come out so strong in 2014 because the German carmaker has invested four times more money than Ferrari.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know whether it is four times,” Massa said, “but definitely to see them at work made an impression on me.”<\/p>\n
However, he denied that he deliberately shopped for a Mercedes-powered team for 2014.<\/p>\n
“No, but with a regulation change that is about the engines, you know that they (Mercedes) know what they are doing.<\/p>\n
“And from the moment I arrived at Williams I felt very wanted, which is a fantastic feeling.”<\/p>\n
Massa’s last comment suggests that he no longer felt loved at Ferrari.<\/p>\n
“I will not speak badly of Ferrari,” he insisted.\u00a0 “I was there many years and I lived some beautiful moments.\u00a0 And some very bad ones as well.”<\/p>\n
He does not hide that Hockenheim 2010, when he was told ‘Fernando (Alonso) is faster than you’, was the low point.<\/p>\n
“They did not let me win a race that I deserved,” said Massa.\u00a0 “It was not just the team order that hurt me, but the fact that I had come back from a very bad accident.\u00a0 It would have been very important to me.”<\/p>\n
Asked if he often behaved ‘too loyally’ to Ferrari, he admitted: “Yes, maybe I did.\u00a0 But now it’s the past and it doesn’t matter.<\/p>\n
“I remember the wonderful years at Ferrari, and the friendships with many people.”<\/p>\n
Massa, 32, said he thinks Mercedes has the best 2014 car, and when asked ‘Hamilton or Rosberg’, he answered: “(Nico) Rosberg.”<\/p>\n
But when asked who he would put money on for the title, Massa grinned: “I don’t like talking about myself…”<\/p>\n
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