Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Massa asks FIA to get tough with Hamilton after Japanese Grand Prix clash

Felipe Massa has hit out at Lewis Hamilton once again after the pair clashed in the Japanese Grand Prix - as he urged the FIA to get tough with his McLaren rival

Massa and Hamilton were battling for fourth place in the Japanese GP when they came together at the chicane - as the Brazilian tried to go around the outside at the same time that the Briton moved to the left.

With a piece of Massa's front wing coming off in the minor collision, and him suffering floor damage, the FIA stewards looked into the matter to see if either driver was at fault - but it was judged to have been a racing incident.

Hamilton said that the coming together had been the result of him being unable to see where Massa was behind him.

"The only thing I have to say is that I can't see anything out of my mirrors and they vibrate down the straight so much that I had no idea he was there," explained Hamilton. "Maybe it's something we can fix, but anyway I have no problems with him."

Despite Hamilton's explanation, Massa remained furious about their latest clash - following accidents between the pair in Monaco and Singapore.

Reacting to comments that Hamilton had been unable to see Massa coming up behind him, Massa said: "I don't care, to be honest, about what he [Hamilton] said. The only thing I care about is what he did. He was so slow in 130R and he stayed on the right-hand side.

"I was much quicker, so I went to the left-hand side and I braked there. I stayed on my line; he moved his car and touched my car. There's nothing more to say. For what he says, I don't care. I care about what the federation says and what the FIA does.

"They have penalised people for much less this year and this time they didn't do it. It's the second time in a row after the problem in qualifying as well in the last race, and after what happened yesterday. And after many times this year. The FIA needs to take care of that. They are the only ones who can take care of that."

When asked by AUTOSPORT if it would not be better for him to speak face-to-face with Hamilton to sort out the issue, Massa replied: "No. He doesn't learn. As I said before, I don't care. I race against him, against whatever driver in the same way. I don't really care. He has already passed the time to speak, which I tried and he didn't."

Massa did suggest, however, that he may bring the matter up if he has a chance to speak to FIA race director Charlie Whiting.

"Maybe if I see Charlie, I will speak to him. But there's nothing really to say now," he said.

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Japan Sunday quotes: Toro Rosso
Next article Sebastian Vettel insists he did not see Jenson Button in Suzuka start incident

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe