SPIELBERG, Austria - Felipe Massa hoped to give Brazil another victory to celebrate after a little bit of *Neymar magic rubbed off on him as he put his Williams on pole position for the 2014 Austrian GP on Saturday (June 22).
The popular Brazilian's first pole since 2008, when he was with Ferrari and a year before he suffered near fatal head injuries in Hungary, was a Formula 1 feel-good story for Austria's first race in 11 years.
When he left Ferrari at the end of 2013, it seemed to many that Massa's best years were behind him and that he might have few highlights ahead with a team that scored just five points in all of 2013.
‘THEY ARE BACK TO THE FIGHT’
The prospects look a lot brighter now.
Massa said: "The race is tomorrow but I'm so happy, very emotional - not just for me but I think it's a similar feeling what I feel and what Williams feel as well.
"Williams had an incredible career in the past and they are back to the top, they are back to the fight.
"Being the quickest on the track against everybody, it's always the best feeling a driver can have. A driver always works and fights to achieve this. It's definitely a great moment, this qualifying."
Massa has also not won a race since 2008, when he triumphed in front of his home crowd in Sao Paulo and then finished as overall runner-up to Lewis Hamilton, but that wait could also end on Sunday (June 22 2014).
Massa hoped that could be a good omen for his country's World Cup clash with Cameroon in Brasilia on Monday (June 23 2014).
‘LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE’
He said: "There is a lot going on in Brazil in this moment so I really expect that we can have a great show, a great show for everybody which is looking, you know the World Cup in Brazil.”
Massa revealed that his son, Felipinho, had given him a little figurine of the man all Brazil hopes will be a winner - soccer striker Neymar: "Just before I go to the car my son gave me a little Neymar.
"I'm a great fan of football, so I hope we can have a great World Cup. I know what it is to win at home so I can imagine winning the World Cup at home is like a dream come true, not just for the players but also for everybody which is watching."
2014 Austrian GP:
Qualifying
Third practice
Second practice
First practice results
Who do you think will win the 2014 Austrian GP? Vote for your favourite driver in our
homepage voting booth!
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 Austrian GP
*Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team.
The popular Brazilian's first pole since 2008, when he was with Ferrari and a year before he suffered near fatal head injuries in Hungary, was a Formula 1 feel-good story for Austria's first race in 11 years.
When he left Ferrari at the end of 2013, it seemed to many that Massa's best years were behind him and that he might have few highlights ahead with a team that scored just five points in all of 2013.
‘THEY ARE BACK TO THE FIGHT’
The prospects look a lot brighter now.
Massa said: "The race is tomorrow but I'm so happy, very emotional - not just for me but I think it's a similar feeling what I feel and what Williams feel as well.
"Williams had an incredible career in the past and they are back to the top, they are back to the fight.
"Being the quickest on the track against everybody, it's always the best feeling a driver can have. A driver always works and fights to achieve this. It's definitely a great moment, this qualifying."
Massa has also not won a race since 2008, when he triumphed in front of his home crowd in Sao Paulo and then finished as overall runner-up to Lewis Hamilton, but that wait could also end on Sunday (June 22 2014).
Massa hoped that could be a good omen for his country's World Cup clash with Cameroon in Brasilia on Monday (June 23 2014).
‘LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE’
He said: "There is a lot going on in Brazil in this moment so I really expect that we can have a great show, a great show for everybody which is looking, you know the World Cup in Brazil.”
Massa revealed that his son, Felipinho, had given him a little figurine of the man all Brazil hopes will be a winner - soccer striker Neymar: "Just before I go to the car my son gave me a little Neymar.
"I'm a great fan of football, so I hope we can have a great World Cup. I know what it is to win at home so I can imagine winning the World Cup at home is like a dream come true, not just for the players but also for everybody which is watching."
2014 Austrian GP:
Qualifying
Third practice
Second practice
First practice results
Who do you think will win the 2014 Austrian GP? Vote for your favourite driver in our
homepage voting booth!
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 Austrian GP
*Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team.