Massa wins amid controversy

Eurosport - Mon, 25 Aug 09:27:00 2008

Felipe Massa won a controversial European GP ahead of Lewis Hamilton, as the Brazilian's Ferrari team were punished following a pit-lane incident.

FORMULA 1 2008 European GP Ferrari Massa - 0

In the first race at the Valencia street circuit, the Brazilian was released from his second pit stop into the path of Force India's Adrian Sutil.

The move prompted a post-race stewards' inquiry that saw him fined 10,000 euros.

The verdict will come as a relief to Massa, who could have been subjected to a time penalty or a 10-place grid penalty for the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps.

However, it was ruled that Massa gained "no sporting advantage" from the incident, although Ferrari had acted in an unsafe manner.

In his post-race press conference, Massa said Sutil should have made way for him: "I think it was not very clever from his side, because even if he gets out in front of me he needs to let me by, so I think it was a shame."

Massa otherwise drove a perfect race, leading throughout after starting on pole position.

On an eventful day for Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen began to leave the pits with his fuel hose still attached and struck a mechanic, who was taken to the circuit's medical centre for treatment.

A team spokesman said the mechanic's injuries were "not too bad" and there would be a further update on his condition later on Sunday.

Minutes later the defending world champion retired with a blown engine and has fallen to third in the drivers' championship.

The Finn looked desperately out of sorts, even before those incidents, running well off the pace. Ferrari must be sorely tempted to throw their efforts behind Massa's championship challenge.

Hamilton, by contrast, drove a serene second place and increased his points lead to six, with 70, to Massa's 64 and Raikkonen's 57.

Fighting what he described as "health problems" Hamilton could not match Massa's pace but his second place never looked in danger.

The only downside for the Briton came on the podium, when the Spanish fans jeered him vociferously - a hangover from 2007 and his bitter rivalry with then-team-mate Fernando Alonso.

Third-placed Polish BMW driver Robert Kubica claimed his fifth podium finish of the season, the first in five races.

Hamilton's McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen of Finland came home fourth ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in a Toyota and 21-year-old German Sebastian Vettel who was sixth for Toro Rosso.

Timo Glock of Germany was seventh for Toyota and another German Nico Rosberg eighth for Williams.

The race was run in hot sunshine but produced few thrills for the 115,123 spectators packed into the grandstands around the Mediterranean harbour.

In a major disappointment for Spanish fans, their double world champion Fernando Alonso was forced to retire after the opening lap when his Renault and the Williams of Japan's Kazuki Nakajima collided.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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  1. Hey Vinny,

    Yes, I would love for F1 to return to the US. I actually like the Indy track, but I would settle for any other, so long as they race here. I am sure that the teams would like that as well. It makes economic sense to have a race in the US following the Canadian GP. I remember when they used to race in Mexico and Argentina as well. We need more races in the Americas.

    From Forza Ferrari, on Tue 26 Aug 3:26PM

  2. * F.I.A. * =
    F–errari
    I-nfluenced
    A-gents

    There are more appropriate definitions for the FIA, (but would be deemed too insolent for this site)!

    From falconine99, on Tue 26 Aug 2:32PM

  3. so a fine for a acting in an unsafe manner.

    during a race, so the penalty should be applied during the race it was well outside the 5 lap it can only be that red cars get let off things silver cars get the book thown at them

    From semimad, on Tue 26 Aug 1:18PM

  4. bowesey17, you said massa / kimi = same car. yes, this is true, but kimi has given up on f1. i am kimi fan but he has given it up and bored with it. in my opinion, he should retire if he is not interested. that what makes the difference between massa and kimi. compare his races in the silver car and when he moved to ferrari. big difference.

    From khalid, on Tue 26 Aug 12:07PM

  5. item 358 khalid WELL SAID QUITE RIGHT ~~ MASSA SHOULD BE BANNED FROM TALKING

    JUST LET HIM BE THE FERRARI TAXI DRIVER IN THEIR PRETTI LITTLE RED TOY CAR FOR 90MINS

    From raymonda222, on Tue 26 Aug 12:00PM

  6. Khalid khalid khalid... Massa / Raikkonen = same car. Also: all you wierdly-beardy lentil-eaters? his is hardly the place to be preaching about cars polluting the planet. better off on the Olympics pages whining about how much pollution the Chinese generated putting on those 'marvellous' games.

    From bowesey17, on Tue 26 Aug 11:59AM

  7. OH MY GOD. what an idiot. he is blaming sutil just like he blamed alonso couple of years ago in monza for blocking him while alonso was half a mile away. massa should have his race disqualified not because of the incident but because he is an idiot. actually a big fat idiot. eventhough, i dont like hamilton but at least he admits to his mistakes and apologizes for them. massa should drive a go kart in an empty circuit. ferrari should kick him out. he is doing fine because of the car not beacuse of his talent. let hamilton & alonso race massa using the same car and he will have tyre marks on his a--. as for the fine, i am a ferrari fan, but schumi has been doing it for his entire career and never been investigated. so whats new. yes i am saying it, ferrari gets away with many things.

    From khalid, on Tue 26 Aug 11:47AM

  8. Dear Sfa D
    Please turn off your computer you are using up the worlds resources.
    Thanks Sweetie

    From Iain, on Tue 26 Aug 10:44AM

  9. reply to gary &co what a good suggestion ~~ we no longer have car just bike

    well said gary darling we started long long ago ~~ now its turn for you & friends sweetie

    From Sfa D, on Tue 26 Aug 9:38AM

  10. Anti polution start at home.. Lets see Sfa D getting rid of his own car and stop taking holiday aboard poluting jet aircraft. Can't understand people like this..
    Lets also remember the comment by Gasper G. . does he not realise that the majority of F1 teams are UK based, even the one that are not have team principals who are british.

    From Gary G, on Tue 26 Aug 8:53AM

  11. ^^^^^^^^^ ALL HIGHLY POLLUTTING MOTOR SPORT SHOULD BE CEASED IN THIS DAY & AGE

    F1 PARTICULARLY EXPENDS MORE WASTED MONEY THAN ANY OTHER EVENT + POLKUTION

    WORK TO GET F1 RACING STOPPED HALTED IMMEDIATELY

    From Sfa D, on Tue 26 Aug 7:28AM

  12. Hey Daniel S
    As we are both geographically displaced fans, and I respect your opinion I'm curious. Would you be interested in seeing F1 returning to America? I know I would, but as much as Indy is a mecca for open wheeled racing I think I would rather see the race at Laguna Seca, Infineon Raceway, or maybe even Sebring. Your thoughts?

    From vinnydawg67, on Tue 26 Aug 6:57AM

  13. Now that I think about it after reading all the comments I have to say that were it not for the circus in the Ferrari pit box the race would have reeeeeeeeeeeeeeely been boring. The track is pleasing to the eye and I especially like the bridge segment, but after all the build up and hype for the speed and width of the track I was looking so much forward to some exciting overtaking episodes. This of course did not transpire. What happened? Don't get me wrong, I admire and respect the strategy involved passing in the pits, and I was watching closely the drivers on 1 stop strategies (especially Glock) but I can't recall even any of the back markers fighting for a position.

    From vinnydawg67, on Tue 26 Aug 6:47AM

  14. I do not think the FIA favors any one team better than the other, teams & drivers win & lose and that is it. I certainly abhor people discriminating others by color, race & creed.

    From Dodi, on Tue 26 Aug 4:45AM

  15. sorry, couldn't lee here without replying to Gasper J. Your comment is just a wind up surely. Is it not true that even the Ferrari tubs are built in Britain along with all of the American Indycars.

    From leonardrobson, on Tue 26 Aug 1:49AM

  16. Anyone else notice that F1 and motorsport are two separate headings here. Is that because the comments are almost exclusively about Ferrari v Hamilton and nothing about motorsport. About the only comments that I agree with are those that suggest that Spain should have no GPs. Was anyone in the pit lane on the Thursday at Barcelona to watch the Spaniards screaming abuse and spitting at the McClaren mechanics? Was anyone at the Barcelona race when half the crowd walked out as Alonso retired? I was. I thought no group of spectators could sink any lower than that. Then came Valencia. They were allowed to get away with their abuse (racist and otherwise) in Barcelona and simply became animal in Valencia. I won't go to any more GPs in Spain.

    If you want my opinions on the race, please read them in the motor sport section.

    From leonardrobson, on Tue 26 Aug 1:42AM

  17. Dont care what anyone says f1 will always be boring until they get rid of the fuel stops or they will just keep followimg each other waiting for the one in front to pit. Hats off to the kids that drive them , but it would be better if they turned back the clock to Senna Mansell Prost days with only tyre stops . So that the guys driving do the overtaking not the guy with the lap top.

    THATS MY VIEW & I DON'T THINK IM THE ONLY ONE

    From MICK K, on Tue 26 Aug 12:30AM

  18. What is all this @#$%, last year all the penalties were for Alonso and not McLaren and bcs McLaren wanted. If everyone hates Hamilton now is bcs of the treatement Alonso received last year. McLaren is a loosing team, they are number one on spying but not raceing. Hope Mercedes leaves this @#$% and creates its own formula one team.
    Every one knows that brits have no clue on building cars.

    From Gasper J, on Mon 25 Aug 11:10PM

  19. Fair enough. However, yesterday's incident was nothing new. It has happened many times before without even leading to an investigation. I recall Ralf Schumacher being penalized once, but he was speeding in the pits.

    From Forza Ferrari, on Mon 25 Aug 9:55PM

  20. i love the sport and i love the racing but the Race Stewards ruin it i no Ferrari get punished but Ferrari get less severe punishments than others which ruin the sport thats why we throw criticism at Ferrari for

    From Marti, on Mon 25 Aug 9:35PM
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