So what better time to ask the Brazilian - fresh from his third points finish of the year in Monaco - about some of the other 'firsts' in his life, as part of our series that aims to help you get to know the world's best drivers a little better...
Who was your first hero when you were a child?
Felipe Massa: My father.
What was the first Grand Prix you can remember watching?
FM: I think it was 1988, when I was with my dad in Interlagos.
How old were you when you first decided you wanted to be an F1 driver?
FM: It was always part of my dream when I started go-karting as a kid - so it was something of a distant dream that step by step transformed into reality. The first time it really occurred to me that it might be possible was probably when I was 15.
When was your first big accident in a race car?
FM: It was with a go-kart. I had a roll when I was 15. I tried to overtake, but the other guy closed the door. I was not hurt, but it was the kind of accident that you will remember your whole life.
What colour was your first helmet?
FM: Pretty much what I still have: blue, green and yellow - the Brazilian colours.
When did you win your first trophy in racing and what did it look like?
FM: My first race in a go-kart when I was 13. I was an instant success! (laughs) The trophy was gold - no, not real gold, gold colour - and had a little go-kart on the top as a kind of arch. I still have it.
What was the first road car you drove?
FM: It was my dad's road car - and I was around ten years old. It was a Chevrolet Monza - a big car for a small kid.
Where was the first house you lived in?
FM: It is a house that I still have. It's in the countryside of Sao Paolo and is now kind of a country house for the family. I was six years old when we moved there.
How nervous were you on your first day of school?
FM: I do not remember - it is not something that has stuck in my head.
What was the first meal you ever cooked?
FM: Pasta
What was the first thing you did this morning?
FM: Had a shower, and then had breakfast with my family. Wait a minute… it was actually looking at my iPhone. Somehow that seems a shame, but this is the reality nowadays!
What was the first thing you did after getting your first F1 seat?
FM: I called my dad.
What was the first record you bought?
FM: No idea.
What was the first sport you participated in as a kid?
FM: Football. I was average - but it is still a pleasure for me to play.
When was your first romantic kiss?
FM: The first time - eyes closed and shy - was when I was around ten. For my first real romantic kiss, I was maybe 13.
When was the first time you were asked to sign an autograph for a fan?
FM: When I was a Formula Chevrolet driver - somewhere around 1999.
When did you first taste champagne?
FM: When I went to the podium for the first time. Maybe I had a secret taste before - from the glass of somebody at some family event…
Which would you eat first - a piece of fruit or a piece of chocolate?
FM: A piece of fruit. My mum was always very strict about my teeth so sweets and chocolate have never really been on my agenda.
What was the first word you said as a baby?
FM: It was probably 'daddy'.