Felipe Massa denied being at fault for the collision with Lewis Hamilton that led to the Ferrari driver receiving a pit drive- through penalty. The Brazilian tangled with his British rival on lap two as they fought for fifth place at turn 10, with the McLaren driver coming off worse as he was spun around. The stewards penalised Massa and although he fought back to eventually finish seventh, he was still disappointed. He said: "For me it was just a racing incident, because we braked very late into turn 10. He tried to pass me and then I was a little bit wide in turn 10 and he put the car on the inside, and I was on the outside. Then he pushed me a little bit close to the gravel. I put two wheels on the gravel, he closed the door and then we touched." Massa also criticised Sebastien Bourdais for their collision by the pitlane exit on lap 50. The Toro Rosso driver was given a 25-second penalty after the race by the stewards for causing an avoidable accident and Massa said: "I had already entered the turn and he hit me from behind, spinning me round."
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The Brazilian was critical of Hamilton's rash dive inside Raikkonen at the first corner following a poor start from pole by the British driver. "Lewis had a bad start and lost position and he tried to brake when everybody was already turning into the corner," said Massa, who was promoted to seventh when Toro Rosso's Sebastien Bourdais was penalised for another collision with the Brazilian. "It was not right. Kimi passed him and then he pushed Kimi too wide. It was too optimistic, especially if you are thinking about the championship."
Massa refused to be drawn into a row when asked why Ferrari mechanics were pumping their fists in delight after he had bumped into Hamilton. "Any time you see a Ferrari car in front of a McLaren it's a good thing for the team," said Massa, whose team regained the lead in the constructors' championship from McLaren. "But you're trying to pour fire on the (situation). "I admire Lewis as a driver and a person and I'm sure he admires me as well. I have no problem saying hello to him, or discussing stuff or having fun. I won't change my approach."
Massa, who will be a favourite to win his season-ending home race in Sao Paulo after the next round in China, remained optimistic about his chances of becoming Brazil's first Formula One world champion since the late Ayrton Senna in 1991. "It could have been better, it could have been worse," said Massa. "My chances are not so different now. We cannot leave here saying it was a disaster." *Reuters
