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Massa Admits Excitement Over New Car, Pirelli Tires

In a time when many are criticizing the tire compounds developed by Pirelli for the 2011 Formula 1 season, Ferrari's Felipe Massa seems to be one of the few excited drivers heading into the new campaign thanks to this particular new aspect of F1 racing.

As you all know, Massa and the former Bridgestone tires present in F1 until last year were not exactly the best of friends, with the Brazilian pointing fingers at the compounds developed by the Japanese tire maker for his struggling performances in 2009 and 2010.

Apparently, all of that is about to change in 2011, as Massa has recently proved that he feels quite comfy driving on the new Pirellis. After topping the last group test in Barcelona in the timing reports, Massa told O Estada de S.Paulo newspaper that he is very excited with how his new car and tires feel like prior to the new season.

I turned the car upside down to see if the tires really are working for me,” he said, according to the aforementioned source. “I am much more in control of the car and know what I can do with it.

I couldn't get everything out of the car after trying everything,” he added, referring to his struggling campaign in 2010, when he was outpaced constantly by new teammate Fernando Alonso. “There was no way to be happy, and happiness is very important, especially with this sort of job. It was hard going to a race knowing what would happen. Now, everything changed after three laps with these new tires.”

I had good results with Schumacher in the team, great with Kimi and then a horrible year with Alonso. But it was horrible because the car didn't work for me,” he insisted.
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