Felipe Massa Signed No 2 Driver Deal with Ferrari

Considering the constant struggle experienced by Felipe Massa in his 5th season with Ferrari, one could argue that the Scuderia's decision to prolong his stay at Maranello for two additional years – especially since there was a good drivers market to choose from – was curious to say the least.

In the 8 races this season, the Brazilian driver fought hard to maintain the same pace as new teammate Fernando Alonso, and his performances in the last 2 events – Turkey, where he was regarded as a strong favorite, and Canada – followed yet a more descendent performance path this season. Under the circumstances, many are wondering why Ferrari didn't push harder for Mark Webber or Robert Kubica for the 2011 season, as both of them were contract-less for the upcoming campaign.

However, Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell now gives us another perspective on how Ferrari chose to manage their operations for the future, revealing that Massa's 2-year extension contained a special “Barrichello clause'.

As many of you remember, Rubens Barrichello has been a constant “lieutenant” for Michael Schumacher in his reigning Ferrari years. So what Motorsport Aktuell is trying to suggest is that Massa must do the same for 2-time world champion Fernando Alonso if he wants a steady job with the Scuderia until the end of 2012.

Needless to say, Massa rejected the idea from the get go, insisting that all these rumors are “rubbish.” Additionally, Alonso declined to comment on the allegations.

In case the rumors will prove to be true, there is at least one similarity between the nowadays situation at Ferrari and the Michael Schumacher era. Both Alonso and Schumacher came to the Scuderia as 2-time world champions. Whether the former will match the tradition set by the latter, we're yet to find out.