I'm not Ferrari's number two - Massa

BUDAPEST — Felipe Massa insists he is not Ferrari's number two driver despite being 'ordered' to pull over and allow teammate Fernando Alonso to win last weekend's German Grand Prix.The 29-year-old Brazilian was leading at Hockenheim before his team 'informed' him on the radio that his Spanish team-mate Alonso was quicker.After that message delivered with only 17 laps to go Massa deliberately slowed down to allow Alonso to pass and claim victory.Ferrari were subsequently fined 100,000 dollars and referred to the World Motor Sports Council for breaking the rule banning team orders and bringing the sport into disrepute.Speaking ahead of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, Massa insisted that should a similar situation arise in the future, he would expect to win the race.When asked what would happen if he was faced with the same situation, he replied, "I will win."The time I say I am number two driver, I will not race any more. I have spoken to everybody inside the team and as I said I am not here merely to race, I am here to win. That is really my point."As long as I am in the condition to win, we need to go to the end, to fight for the victory."I am a professional, I work for the team and everybody has to understand my point."Massa added that the decisions he made in Germany were for the benefit of the team and recalled when he had supported Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, and that Raikkonen had returned the favour in 2008, when Massa was chasing the title."I am working for the team and we know how important it is to work for the team," he said."You remember what happened in 2007 and 2008, so I don't think I have to go through all the points. If the team really has the chance to win the championship, I want the best for the team." Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

Add comment

Nick
Content

Submit