The last thing one expects from a driver when he commences a free practice session is for him to break into song. But that’s exactly what Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel did when he drove off at the start of FP2.
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“I think I forgot something this morning,” Vettel told his team on the radio at the start of the session. “Can you be more specific?” replied his Ferrari troops.
The four-time world champion then casually started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in Italian to race engineer Riccardo Adami over the radio during his out laps. Classy move from the German.
The drivers would be nowhere without their team’s engineers and many of them build very strong relationships over the years.
Vettel & Raikkonen on the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, today at the @FerrariWorldAD. pic.twitter.com/fsyQ33FGDq
— Sebastian Vettel #5 (@sebvettelnews) November 26, 2015
Massa hits the right tone
Rob Smedley, the head of vehicle performance at Williams, said Felipe Massa is probably his “only friend in Formula One”, having worked with the Brazilian for eight years at Ferrari before they moved together to the British team.
Their exchanges over the radio have a cult following with even some fans using them as ringtones. Massa admits his relationship with Smedley is a special one and that close friendships are often tough to find in the paddock.
“I’ve known him since a long time, we are really really close,” said Massa. “Not just in work but outside as well.
“Always when we can, we meet with the family, with the kids. He’s a big friend I have. But I have many friends actually, not just him,” Massa added laughing.
“You can make some good friends in F1 as well, which isn’t so easy, but it’s possible.”
Massa is one of those characters in the paddock who constantly has a smile on his face. My first memory of him from five years ago here in Abu Dhabi was him attempting to tackle Brazilian footballer, Ronaldo, who is significantly bigger than him in size, before the two friends hugged and caught up.
After our pre-weekend round table with Massa, the 34-year-old jokingly said he was going to charge us 50 pounds for each dictaphone that was placed on the table in front of him. “It’s good money, no? Look how many people are here,” he laughed.
