• Malaysian Grand Prix - Qualifying

Massa expects 'defensive' race

Felipe Massa says Ferrari lack the downforce to be competitive © Getty Images

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• Report:
• Sebastian Vettel snatches pole from Lewis Hamilton
  

• Race:
• Malaysian Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Felipe Massa

• Teams:
• Ferrari

Felipe Massa has said that Ferrari's lack of pace means it will be driving a "defensive race" after he qualified seventh for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Ferrari has struggled all weekend, and both drivers admitted after Friday practice that they were in for a difficult weekend. With Red Bull and McLaren locking out the front two rows in qualifying Fernando Alonso took fifth place, but Massa said the team could not look realistically look to finish any higher in the race.

"It was definitely not an easy qualifying, especially looking at the times the top four were able to do," Massa said. "We fought with the others but clearly, compared to the best, tomorrow, we will be running a defensive race. From a strategy point of view, if it's dry we can expect three or four stops. If it really rained, then anything could happen and we will have to be ready for any eventuality."

Massa said he wasn't too disappointed to have Nick Heidfeld ahead of him as it would allow him to start on the cleaner side of the grid, and he also felt that Ferrari knew where it needed to improve for future races.

"Today, the best result we could hope for was fifth: I was not able to do that, partly because I did not do a perfect lap, but at least I will start from the clean side of the track. We know we lack aerodynamic downforce: we are working on it, but only when we have made some progress will we be able to fight for the top places."

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