Eurosport - Mon, 13 Oct 16:56:00 2008
All the reaction from the Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji, including Felipe Massa's denial that he deliberately hit title rival Lewis Hamilton.
Felipe Massa (Ferrari, 7th): "He [Hamilton] braked very late and I braked very late, and then I was a little bit wide in the first part of the corner. Then he had my inside line and pushed me a little bit wide in the gravel. We then just touched each other, so in my opinion it was a racing incident. But we had a drive-through penalty, and we paid it. It was definitely not [deliberate]: I had two wheels on the gravel. I could not stop the car and I was on the gravel because he pushed me into the gravel. For him yes [the penalty was fair]; for me I am not sure."
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren, 12th): "I made a mistake at the first corner and I paid for it. Then Felipe hit me off. I left room on the apex of turn 11 but he hit me pretty hard. We both got the same penalty - I didn't hit anybody but he did. I guess that's the name of the game. I don't think it makes any difference [to the title race]. I lost one point today [later changed to two after post-race penalty for Sebastien Bourdais] which is, I guess, damage limitation. We'll move on to next week. We'll still be as competitive and we are going to make sure we win the last two races."
Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso, 10th): "For me it's very clear. [When] I exit the pits I am supposed to be careful and I was. I stayed inside and I didn't push him [Massa] out; I didn't overshoot the corner: I did everything I could not to run into him and he just squeezed and turned and behaved like I didn't exist, like I wasn't there. What am I supposed to do? I've been in this position many, many times and I never had any incidents. It's just a little bit of respect, you give each other room and then everything goes right, but if you don't there's going to be an incident. The position he is in, fighting for championships, you just don't take unnecessary risks. Why would you even think about doing something like that? I don't understand."
Fernando Alonso (Renault, 1st): "It's still difficult to believe what we have done today: winning in Singapore was unexpected, but we benefited from special conditions. Today we won again on a circuit that was not supposed to suit us. The team has really done a remarkable job to fight back this season and we are now the third strongest team. It's unbelievable and I am extremely happy this evening. Anything is possible now in the last two races."
Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber, 2nd): "My start was good but the clutch slipped a little, therefore Jarno Trulli was able to pass me on the straight. I then decided to take the inside line and braked too late and locked the front wheels. But then everybody went wide while I was more or less able to keep my line, and after the second corner I was in front. My tyres were graining and I lost time... after the pit-stop, Fernando Alonso was in front of me and I was not able to match his pace. At the beginning of the final stint I came under strong pressure from Kimi Raikkonen and we had a great fight. At one point he was beside me in corner two, but I was on the inside and didn't back off and was able to keep him behind. We have been struggling a little bit recently and we were under pressure from some teams, so this second place is a real boost for our morale."
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari, 3rd): "I got a pretty good start but then braking into turn one I was trying to turn and there was first one McLaren and then a second. Both hit me and I had nowhere to go other than straight. I lost many places and had some damage on the front. [Late in the race] I was fighting against Robert... I had a few tries to get past him. He went to the inside and I didn't have anywhere to go, we got side by side but I knew that if nobody lifted in turn three I had no option but to run off the circuit."
Nelson Piquet Jr (Renault, 4th): "I am very happy with this great result for the team. I had a bit of luck at the start, but after that the car handled really well: I was on the pace and I just had to remain concentrated and keep pushing. The team is having a really strong end to the season and I hope that is going to continue."
Jarno Trulli (Toyota, 5th): "We have to be happy with that today, but I wanted to give a bit more both to the team and to all the Japanese fans who cheered us on. I was really hoping that we could make the podium but this fifth place was all that we could have done this afternoon. We've been competitive all weekend and the car was good again in the race but the lower temperatures didn't help us."
Mark Webber (Red Bull, 8th): "After a poor start, which put me at the back, I had a good first stint - passing Heidfeld twice, amongst others. The second stint was difficult pace wise as I was having a tricky time on the options. Felipe had fresh tyres towards the finish and also a faster car, so I knew it would be difficult to keep him behind me as his traction was so much better. I pushed him to the limit when he made his overtaking move, but that"s what it"s about, trying to get another point for the team. It was too difficult against his car though and he passed me."
Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber, 9th): "Compared to the Williams cars in front of me, my start was okay, but the Hondas behind got off the grid even better. There was an awful lot of traffic in the first corner and I was lucky to get through all the hassle. I was on a one-stop strategy and it was not easy to handle the heavy car."
Nico Rosberg (Williams, 11th): "Our start was poor due to a technical problem so I just fell to the back of the pack. I was also quite heavy with fuel. I'm satisfied with my performance and it was actually good fun out there today. I gave it 100 per cent and was as quick as Heidfeld, who was on the same strategy. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to score any points."
Rubens Barrichello (Honda, 13th): "I had a great start to the race today, passing three or four cars on the way down to the first corner and was able to hold the position well. Unfortunately I was then hit from behind by Fisichella which damaged the rear end of the car and affected the balance for the remainder of the race. From then on, we were really limited by the poor performance and pace of the car."
Jenson Button (Honda, 14th): "Unfortunately going with the option for my first stint didn't work well and I really suffered from this in the early laps. I was passed by a few cars around the first lap and from then on had graining on the front and rear tyres which meant I was slow through the corners and we couldn't compete on straight-line speed, particularly with a heavy fuel load. Once we put the prime tyre on for the second stint, the balance was much better, but by then it was impossible to catch up and make progress."
Kazuki Nakajima (Williams, 15th): "That was a shame. It was very disappointing to have an accident at the first corner, but I couldn't do anything about it. After the incident, I just tried to do my best for the rest of the race. I don't think our race pace was that great, though, so I couldn't make any progress. We need to go away and work on our performance to see where we can improve for the next time."
Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren, retired): "Kimi initially jumped Lewis [at the start] and then I think Lewis was trying to fight back. They both went a bit deep and I also went a bit deep. I thought it was just a normal first corner. I think so [Hamilton's move was clean]. But I am not the right person to make any calls: I am just a driver, not a judge. I suffered an engine failure. The car has been reliable but sometimes these things happen - metal flying from the exhaust is never a good sign."
David Coulthard (Red Bull, retired): "Into turn one I was trying to go down inside of Bourdais and naturally he came back in towards the apex and there was a bit of bumping and grinding. We accelerated out and into turn two - it was probably the suspension that went and I flew into the barrier. It'll be a new chassis for the next race."
Adrian Sutil (Force India, retired): "Suddenly on the straight the tyre blew and I had to stop the car. It was a shame as we were running 10th and it was feeling really good. We had a fantastic start - from 19th to 11th at the end of the first corner as I stayed to the inside and clear of all the problems, and I was in 10th position within a couple of laps."
Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India, retired): "The start was fantastic for me and I managed to overtake a lot of people. At the first corner there was a lot of mess and cars slowing down a lot - and I touched Barrichello at the back and damaged my front nose slightly. I decided to stay out and it was looking good. We were considering a one-stop strategy which was much more comfortable and I was having a good race, but then unfortunately at the end I had a problem with the gearbox and seventh gear. At least we are fighting again."
Timo Glock (Toyota, retired): "Following David Coulthard's accident it felt like I drove over some of the debris. After that the car felt strange and in the end I lost the car on the kerb at the exit of turn six. I went over the grass and the car launched through the air. When I landed it felt like something broke."
Comment 8 - 27 of 87
the decisions the stewards r making these days are utterly disgraceful... it seems as if ferrari have bought all the stewards in F1... the stewards have made watching f1 a complete wase of time as u know that at the end of the day, the race results are going to be manipulated by these stewards in favour of ferrari... ever since ferrari won the court case against mclaren, it seems that they have earned the sympathy of the entire FIA... guess ferrari spent the compensation money they received in buying out all the stewards at the beginning of the season... if things continue this way, poor old lewis will surely not b able to win the title this season... even if he wins the remaining 2 races, the nasty stewards would probably disqualify him, citing reasons that he was driving a mclaren on the race track... what shocked me the most today was the incident involving mASSa and sebastien bourdais- how in the world was the toro rosso driver at fault? do the stewarts expect him to park his car in the gravel n allow mASSa to pass? another incident involving ferrari comes to mind- when raikkonen rammed into the back of adrian sutil (driving in 4th i think, on his way to secure the first championship points for himself and his team force india), was the chap penalized? he got away by saying sorry...... what the @#$% was that- were the stewards asleep or what?
oh i forgot... kimi was driving a ferrari.......
( f1 race stewards- PLS @#$% OFF! )
BLA BLA BLA;;;
LAST YEAR ALONSO WAS THE TERRIBLE GUY,,
THIS YEAR IT'S FIA AND FERRARI BLA BLA:
HOW IS THE NEXT VICTIM WITH HAMILTON'S FAILER TO SUCCESS???
IT'S GETTIN KINDA FUNNY NOW LOL...
I'm confused massa should have the penalty not seb b........bloody lunacy!!
"For him yes [the penalty was fair]; for me I am not sure." This is Massa saying this after getting away with a penalty for the incident with Bourdais. I would like to hear his comment if that was a fair penalty. Seem he never comments when he is awarded some undeserved points. LH maybe agressive, arrogant whatever you may call him...But he got ball not to blame the car or any other driver...He goes on looking foward to the next race and do his thing....Can you imagine What comments Massa would make if he got the penalty LH got at Spa....The Baby would cry....Even with all the help he is getting from FERRARI I A.....
Unbelievable... I am a Hamilton fan but his move at the first corner was clearly a screw up on his part. Many cars broke very late but he was very lucky that he didn't collect a few cars and the penalty was richly deserved. Massa's move with all 4 wheels off the track up the inside of Lewis sending him spinning - Massa said " "He [Hamilton] braked very late and I braked very late,......Then he had my inside line and pushed me a little bit wide...." Since when was it "his" line and Lewis didn't brake late because the wheels didnt lock up and he made it smoothly round. Okay next, Webber went defensive (which he is entitled to do as they were both on the same lap) and Massa clearly crossed the pit exit lines. I was half expecting to see the lolipop guy at the end of the pit-wall with it raised, followed by Sutil ramming into Massa. Again, many cars leave the pits and find themselves alongside other cars coming into the first corner. Bourdais was awesome into that corner, again on the same lap as Massa, but he gets penalised. 100% Disgraceful but i shall definately be watching the last races to see what the stewards will do next. (they should enter a car of their own maybe, i'd put a fiver on them winning in their rookie year)
Utterly disgraceful! The Hamilton and Massa drive throughs were both justified but the Bordais incident was 100% Massa's fault and using the pit lane (and hatched area) to overtake is downright dangerous and should have been punished. I don't agree with The ddie-hard Mclaren stance that everything is against them but I think the past few judgements show that the FIA is definately more favourable in decisions towards Ferrari and it is ruining the sport!
Alls fair in love and F1, the stewards need to back off and let the drivers sought it out on the track - oh no I forgot that would be too exciting, why not just hand Ferrari the trophy's at the beginning of the year and save all the squabbling!
the only thing I'd like to say is that last year, Alonso was the bad guy. This year is Ferrari and the FIA. Who is gonna be next year ?
distinct lack of comment from Massa, perhaps he was ashamed of the extra charity point! Would have been interesting to hear from Webber on Massa's overtaking manoeuvre - he doesn't exactly hold back on what he thinks!
Can't wait until Moseley dies from heart attack in one of his Nazi orgies and Ecclestone collapses under the weight of his own eyebrows and bank balance!
Then we could have a sport again!
I like the Pit Girls coz they.ve got superb norks!!! lol
How do the stewards sleep at night?
Bourdais getting the panalty that Massa should have got hmmmmmmm? FIA assistance coming to the rescue for Ferrari....again! They are turing the sport into a sham.
When "Uncle Max " has a model of a red car (no I wont say that name)in his office. Is it any surprise that Massa gets away with crossing the hatched lines and all trace disappears from the books.
Jerry R, Webber was still on the track when Massa passed him, Massa wasn't and then he went over the red and white hatchings which I think counts the same as going over the white pit lane marker when leaving the pits. Its not illegal to go over the same line when you are on the main straight though, the red & white area marks the "Danger area" your not allowed into.
What a pair of Idiots.
Hamilton should have been happy with Heiki giving him back second place at the first corner. As for overtaking Massa where he did what on earth did he think was going to happen? Both penalties deserved.
However !
Massa should have another 2 penalties as well as the one he' should have got for for driving into Bourdais.
1 for overtaking Webber by going outside the marked track in the pit straight, and another for driving over the red & white hatched area at the pit exit, thus endangering anyone leaving the pit lane.
should be 3 drive through's = 90 seconds at least.
Instead they managed to grub up another point for him, pathetic
So it was Bourdais who has been penalised???? Now that is very interesting!
Yea an another thing, I was very suprised Massa wasn't investigated for Driving clearly straight onto the pit lane exit, and over the red and white stripes, but maybe as the commentators said thats probably us being paranoid about every single detail, however that said, all of the recent events have helped with that perception.
Well first off to all, that penalty that Massa got for hitting Lewis was fair, after all he was off track not least off the racing line and came back and hit him, thats clear. Lewis was quite a bit aggressive in trying to get back the lead after loosing it on the start and that penalty is also fair. The freaky bit of this that puzzles me is this current investigation that Massa is under with Bourdais, because that merely seemed as a racing incident, Bourdais clearly had the racing line. I'm now hearing that Massa has been bumped up a spot, but I haven't the slightest why, who else was penalised???
Honestly, Geoff, if you've watched the action from above, Webber AS WELL was on the other side of the line, his whole car. So it has to be admitted that Massa had no other option as soon as he decided to try and pass on the right hand side... and he also had no other option that this right hand side, considering Webber's very defensive behaviour...
... but Bourdais being penalized for Massa's spin is a joke, and a grotesque one! What a shame!
Yuki, sorry mate, I didn't comment on the incident and who's responsible, only on this very sentence, which is amazing, to say the least, when Massa was on the inside of the kerbs!
Now, please realise that it doesn't always have to be a matter of being a fan of Hamilton or Massa or whoever else, and avoid this kind of totally unnecessary agressive stuff about "listen to the experts", because it's totally pathetic, OK?
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