Planet-F1

Massa: I didn't have the pace to challenge

Sunday 20th July 2008

Felipe Massa concedes Ferrari just didn't have the pace to hold off a fast-charging Lewis Hamilton in Sunday's German GP.

With only Nelson Piquet Jr ahead of him on the racetrack, Massa seemed the most likely candidate to clinch the victory after a McLaren strategy error saw Hamilton drop from the lead to fourth place.

However, the Ferrari driver didn't have the pace to catch Piquet Jr never mind hold off Hamilton when the McLaren driver came charging up behind him.

"I saw the pace of my car and I was on the hard tyres because the soft was so difficult to drive, and I just couldn't have the pace," Massa said.

"Stability was difficult and I think I had a little bit of a problem on the brakes as well. I lost a lot of performance. So I didn't have the car to fight. I tried, but it was not possible today.

"I expected a difficult race because the pace of Lewis in the beginning was so quick and by then I knew that they were much quicker than us on this track.

"Looking at his pace in the race, I think I did a great qualifying because they had so much pace. In the race, the first stint he was half a second quicker and when it's like that you can do nothing."

Massa, though, held on to finish the race in third place, earning himself six World Championship points.

"I think at the end of the day it was a good race because we finished third and we're only just past the middle of the season so the Championship is open," he said.

"We need to work quite hard, for sure, but I know the team will work hard and we'll have a competitive car for the next races."