• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Massa blames spin on medium tyres

Felipe Massa: "I cannot be happy with this fifth place" © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Felipe Massa

• Teams:
• Ferrari

Felipe Massa blamed his spin at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on a combination of the medium tyres and an old-spec front wing.

Massa could have scored his best result of the season with a fourth place finish at Yas Marina, but a spin towards the end of the race handed the place to Red Bull's Mark Webber. The Ferrari driver endured a difficult weekend at the desert circuit after the team was forced to switch his 2012-spec front wing for one from the Singapore Grand Prix due to excessive flexing. After the race he said the lack of downforce cost him, especially on the harder medium compound tyres.

"I cannot be happy with this fifth place," Massa said. "Things were going reasonably well while I was on the softs, but with the mediums I was really struggling to keep the car on track because of the lack of grip. That's why I ended up spinning on lap 49, losing any remaining hope of staying ahead of Webber.

"In the first stint I could fight with Button and the Australian, but I always had the thought in my mind that, in the final stint, I'd be in trouble. The fact I could not use the new front wing was more of a penalty when running the medium tyres than the softs, because with the harder compound you could feel the lack of downforce more."

Massa has yet to finish higher than fifth this season and has scored just 108 points compared to his team-mate's 245.

"Now we go to Brazil where I will have the support of my home crowd: I am sure that will help me try and finish well this season that has definitely not been a positive one for me," he added. "Even if it's obvious, I want to state clearly that, despite everything, I am absolutely motivated for next year. Along with the team, I will work to have a more competitive car and then you will see everything will be different."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.