Formula One news

Massa ready for football match

Felipe Massa will be teaming up with an old team-mate this weekend as the Brazilian enjoys a fun, but no doubt competitive, game of football ahead of the German Grand Prix. With little success coming on the race track this year, Felipe hopes to show off his talents on the pitch instead.

With the 2008 championship runner-up currently sixth but 48 World Championship points behind leader Jenson Button, Massa is looking forward to 90-minute action of a different kind before the race at the Nürburgring. "I arrived back in Europe earlier this week from São Paulo," said the 28-year-old. "It was an enjoyable time but rather quiet, as I just wanted to enjoy spending some time with my wife, who is pregnant, expecting our first child in November - perfect timing from us for the baby to arrive conveniently after the end of the Formula One season!

'Some guy called Michael Schumacher' will be joining Massa

"Everything is going well and it is a nice feeling knowing that I am soon going to be a "papà." Apart from that, I took part in a karting race with some friends - it was nothing serious, just some fun driving a small 125cc kart. Well, with an extra week in between the Grands Prix I had to get some racing done!" With a trip to Ferrari's Maranello factory on Wednesday, Massa set off to Germany in the afternoon but will not be arriving at the track until later on Thursday.

"I am playing a football match for the Nazionale Piloti team, with some other F1 drivers and some guy called Michael Schumacher," explained Massa. "The game takes place in Wiesbaden, so I hope a good crowd turns out as we are playing for charity as usual. I play up front as a striker and if you ask me if I am any good, I would say that, for a racing driver, I'm quite a good football player but there is no new career waiting!"

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