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Felipe Massa, twice a winner of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, boosted his chances of staying at Ferrari with a first podium appearance in two years on Sunday in Suzuka while championship leader Fernando Alonso’s title hopes suffered a major setback, writes Alan Baldwin.
Brazilian Massa finished second in Japan, his best result since July 2010 when he was runner-up in Germany and his first top-three finish since he was third in South Korea in October 2010.
Teammate Alonso, who had started with a 29-point advantage over Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel with six races remaining, spun out at the start on Sunday after being tagged by Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus and suffering a cut tyre.
Vettel won and slashed the lead to four points.
Asked whether his strong performance would help to secure his seat at Ferrari in 2013, Massa said: “I think so. Hopefully this is just the beginning of many podiums now.”
Alonso again cursed his luck, with former Ferrari champion Raikkonen again playing the role of spoiler. The Finn had spun his Lotus off in the final seconds of Saturday qualifying, preventing Alonso from posting a lap quicker than his sixth-placed effort, and then tagged the Ferrari at the first corner of the race to send it spinning into the gravel.
“Today we were very unlucky,” said Fernando Alonso. “To finish a race like this, at the very first corner, is such a shame. Contact from Raikkonen caused a puncture to the left rear tyre and my race ended there.”
Alonso called on Ferrari to work on the development of the car but said he was not worried, knowing that the misfortune he suffered could just as easily have happened to others.
“Now we start a sort of mini-championship, run over five grand prix,” said the Spaniard. “The wheel turns and that is what races are all about.”
Team principal Stefano Domenicali agreed that it had been a tough weekend. “I don’t believe in luck but given what’s happened these last couple of days, I’m considering changing my mind,” he said. “The gods that didn’t shine on us yesterday definitely took a shot at us again today.”
Congratulating Massa on a ‘splendid race’ and ‘truly impeccable performance”, he would not be drawn on the Brazilian’s future. “One step at a time,” said Domenicali. “Now we are enjoying this lovely podium together.”
Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton accused his future replacement Sergio Perez of ‘crazy’ driving on Sunday after the two fought for points in Japan.
Mexican Perez, who will move from Sauber to replace Hamilton next season when the 2008 Formula One champion joins Mercedes, retired on the 18th of 53 laps after spinning off while trying to pass the Briton at the hairpin.
Although Hamilton closed the gap on Alonso to 42 points he had few illusions about his title chances. “I am quite realistic, I know my situation, but the Red Bulls are going to be hard to beat,” he said.
“Everyone should be concerned, they are very quick, they are always very quick in Korea and they (Vettel) have picked up 50 points in the last two races, Fernando should be more worried than I am.”
