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Monaco a turning point for Massa - Domenicali

Felipe Massa was closer to the pace of Fernando Alonso in Monaco © Press Association

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• Drivers:
• Stefano Domenicali
• |
• Felipe Massa

• Teams:
• Ferrari

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali believes last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix was a turning point in Felipe Massa's season.

Massa finished sixth on Sunday, his best result of the season so far, after showing improved pace throughout the weekend and making it through to the final session of qualifying for the first time this year.

"I think that he did a great weekend and had the weekend that he deserved after a lot of big pressures," Domenicali said. "He did a great qualifying, you can always say he could have been a bit better in Q3, but we need to look at a wider picture and from other angles."

Massa appeared to be held up by Fernando Alonso in the early stages of the race but then couldn't match the pace of his Ferrari team-mate towards the end of the first stint and failed to join Alonso in getting the jump on Lewis Hamilton in the pit stops. Nevertheless, Domenicali said it was a strong drive and he is expecting more of the same for the rest of the season.

"He did a great race today," Domenicali added. "He was a little bit unlucky because he could have come out in front of Lewis but for a fraction, but he was there in the first six cars and very close. For me that was the best thing and I'm sure this will be a turning point of his season, because he needs that. It was a great boost for him, it's something that we need for the constructors' championship and for the team. I'm expecting a good Felipe up to the end [of the championship]."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.