STORY OF THE DAY: Massa Masters Valencia’s New Streets

Felipe Massa won the 2008 European Grand Prix at Valencia in the number 2 Ferrari F2008 Shark Fin. From pole position, he controlled the inaugural World Championship race on the harbour-side street circuit, finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica while strengthening his challenge for the Drivers’ Championship.

Massa made a clean start and dictated the pace through a demanding race shaped by heat, concrete walls and an unfamiliar layout. His principal concern came during a pit stop, when he was released close to Adrian Sutil in the pit lane; a post-race investigation resulted in a fine for Ferrari but left the victory unchanged. On the track, Massa remained firmly in command.

The F2008 paired a carbon-fibre composite chassis with Ferrari’s 2.4-litre Tipo 056 V8. For suitable circuits, Ferrari fitted an extended shark-fin engine cover intended to manage airflow toward the rear of the car. Cooling details around the sidepods were also revised for Valencia’s high temperatures.

Born in São Paulo, Massa advanced through Brazilian and European junior categories before making his Formula One debut with Sauber. After serving as Ferrari’s test driver, he joined the race team in 2006 and became a regular Grand Prix winner. His authoritative Valencia performance formed part of a six-victory season in which he finished one point short of the world title.