24/07/2014
NEWS STORY
A week away from the track has done nothing to calm Felipe Massa's mood following his first corner elimination from the German Grand Prix.
As far as the popular Brazilian is concerned, the Hungaroring will always be associated with the near career ending incident when he was hit by a suspension spring from countryman Rubens Barrichello's car. Following initial reports that his injuries were life threatening, it was then feared that he might lose an eye. Thankfully, the 'experts' were proved wrong, though he did miss the remainder of the 2009 season.
With that incident so very much in mind, it was natural that someone would ask about it. However, still seething following last week's clash with Kevin Magnussen that saw the Brazilian's Williams flipped over, Massa assumed the journo was referring to the Hockenheim incident.
"Yeah, I feel the accident and it was really a shame to be honest," he said. "To have an accident like that on the first corner was really a shame, but we need to think forward, about this weekend. I hope none of these things happen and we can be competitive."
Whilst many believe the accident to have been 50/50, a racing accident as it were, Massa remains convinced that the blame lies entirely with the Danish driver and when it was suggested that the Brazilian bore some of the responsibility his mood quickly changed.
"You think it was my fault?" he snapped. "He was too aggressive. There were two cars there and he didn't have the line to go into the corner so quick because he was on the inside. How many races has he caused problems at the first lap?
"There is a lot to improve, even in the FIA," he added. "If the stewards are thinking like that, I don't know who they are taking to be stewards."
Asked if he would be talking to the FIA about the incident and his feelings about stewarding in general, the Brazilian appeared to back-track.
"I don't think we need to go to the past and live in the past," he replied. "We need to live the future and we need to live the present. We need to concentrate to do a good job here. That's all I care about.
"To be honest, what is in the past will not change so we just need to concentrate now. And now, I understand, that you need to drive not only for yourself, but you need to think about what the others will do as well."
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Chris Balfe