Ferrari driver Felipe Massa admitted in a recent interview that he almost ended his Formula 1 career last season as he was struggling to find form. His Spanish teammate Fernando Alonso finished a whopping 157 points ahead of him in the drivers standings at the end of the season.
After being asked was he considering retirment here's what he said: "Yeah. I thought about so many things. I thought maybe I was finished. I thought about not staying in Ferrari."
"I did not know what would happen. So many things were inside my brain."
Rumors that appeared during mid season also didn't help Massa as Ferrari were looking to replace him after over 7 years with the team but his improved performances in the second part of the season helped him to remain wih the team as the second driver for next season.
Massa during a race in 2012
"I talked to everyone," said Massa, who narrowly lost out to Lewis Hamilton in a battle for the world title in 2008. "But I also did work with a professional psychologist, sporting psychologist."
"That was just the beginning. After that I was able to change the direction to think, the direction to work and I think it was like training I did. But also I think my family helps, definitely 100%."
He added: "The result is the most important thing. If you are able to show things change very quickly in F1, people who are sure you are finished they say different things after."
"Many people said I was just using fuel at the beginning of the year and then after they want me to stay in Ferrari because it was the best option. It is important to work to get the good result. If you have that nothing else is important."
The Brazillian also added that he is feeling confident about next season and is looking forward to challenging his friend and teammate Fernando Alonso for the number one spot in Ferrari.
"I am very confident I can be in good shape," he said, "which I was [at the end of last year] even if it was not winning the race. But we did not have the car.
He also said that he believes Fernando is the best driver he has ever raced against since.
"I think I had more difficult times with Fernando, so I would say Fernando was the strongest team-mate for me," Massa said. "You can even see in the numbers."
Ferrari's last produced a drivers' champion in 2007 (Kimi Räikkönen) and the last time they won the constructors' tittle was in 2008.
Felipe Massa 2012 highlights
