Massa: I didn't have the car to fight

The Brazilian looked set to have a shot at victory after McLaren chose not to pit Hamilton under the safety car - giving the Briton just nine laps to try and pull out a sufficient margin over the field before his stop.

Massa had run second to Hamilton behind the caution period, when he pitted and rejoined third behind Hamilton and one-stopper Nelson Piquet.

But the Ferrari was unable to pass the Renault, and was then overtaken for second by Hamilton on lap 57 as he charged back following his stop.

"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."

The Brazilian said that he had already resigned himself to being beaten by the McLaren after Hamilton easily pulled away in the first stint.

"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," said Massa.

"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 maintained that he was satisfied with his third place as it keeps him within four points of Hamilton in the championship battle.

"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."