• German Grand Prix - Qualifying

Massa pleased with Ferrari strategy

ESPN Staff
July 6, 2013 « Grosjean confident on new tyres | Button confident in strategy »
Felipe Massa outqualified Fernando Alonso as both ran on the medium tyre © Sutton Images
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Felipe Massa believes Ferrari is in a strong position for the German Grand Prix after completing qualifying on the medium tyres.

Both Massa and Fernando Alonso completed their Q3 runs on the slower but more durable medium tyre, with Massa qualifying seventh and his team-mate eighth. Having spoken to the engineers about the strategy, Massa told ESPN he is confident Ferrari has made the right call by sacrificing grid position.

"I think I had the car today to start in the top four or the top five. Pole position was very difficult to do today but maybe fourth position was possible. Looking at what our engineers say, they're pretty much sure that starting on the prime - which is the medium - is better. It's a change between starting fourth and starting seventh, but they even say the difference between starting first and seventh it's better to start on these tyres."

Massa went in to detail explaining Ferrari's thinking, with a very short stint on the soft tyres expected.

"We're hoping that [the leaders] are going to struggle on these tyres on the first stint. I hope they come out in to traffic after the first pit stop; if they stop pretty soon they're going to go in to traffic and here is not an easy track to overtake as well. I hope we'll gain positions by staying out with the tyre that is a lot more consistent, and also with new tyres at the end I hope it works."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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