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Ferrari insists no rift between drivers

Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa had a near miss in the Shanghai pit lane © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Chinese Grand Prix

• Championship:
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• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
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• Felipe Massa

• Teams:
• Ferrari

Ferrari has hit back at reports claiming Felipe Massa was unhappy with Fernando Alonso's pit entry overtaking move in China.

In a website entry headlined 'False polemics', the team said that some of Massa's comments were "taken out of context" in an attempt by "some news outlets" to "create bad blood" between him and Alonso. It added that the incident "won't change anything at all regarding the relationship" between the pair, with Massa and Alonso "travelling back to Europe on the same flight".

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo said: "There is no dispute between Alonso and Massa, they know well what they have to do and will continue doing it, because they know that they are racing for Ferrari and not for themselves."

But team principal Stefano Domenicali suggested after the clash that Massa might be upset.

"I have to say that Fernando, he is a racer, and I have to say that Felipe behaved very, very well," said the Italian. "It is not easy, and I can understand what could be his [Massa's] feeling, but this episode has not changed our philosophy and for me that is the most important thing."

Di Montezemolo added that the team was now focusing on winning again as soon as possible.

"Let's hope that we'll be back to winning ways soon," he said. "I thought that Sunday would have been the right occasion: I've seen an excellent Alonso in the first five corners, but there was the tiny detail that he had jumped the start…"

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.