Massa thanks Barrichello for support

Barrichello carried the message 'Felipe - see you on track soon' on the back of his crash helmet and pointed to the slogan when he climbed from his car after scoring his tenth career victory in Valencia on Sunday.

Massa, watching the race from his home in Sao Paulo, said that he had called to congratulate and thank Barrichello after the race.

"My first attempt failed because he was debriefing with his Brawn GP people," he said. "But later I could manage to talk to him and congratulated him for his fantastic victory.

"Of course, I also thanked him for everything he's done and said about me during the whole weekend. In fact, I felt very emotional when I saw his helmet with a design intended to homage me."

Massa, who contributed to Brazilian television channel TV Globo's coverage of the event via SMS text, added: "I followed the race also by my laptop, taking a close look at the live timing.

"The last time a saw a Formula 1 race on TV was the Japanese GP back in 2003. It was the race that closed the calendar and I did not travel do Japan because I was Ferrari test driver at that time."

"I was with my fingers crossed all the time, expecting a victory that could keep the Brazilian domination in Valencia. Don't forget that I won the race in 2008, after starting on pole and setting the best lap.

"Rubens did a fantastic job today. I was checking his lap times and I'm sure he could win even without Lewis Hamilton's McLaren [pitstop] problem. He was amazingly quick in his second stint and did not commit any mistakes."

Massa also confirmed that he will travel to the US on Friday to see the former CART medical director Dr Steve Olvey, who is currently serving as a director of the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, as he continues his rehabilitation from the head injuries sustained in his Hungarian GP qualifying crash.

"I will take my TCs with me and probably undergo further exams at the hospital in Miami," he said.