• Singapore Grand Prix

Massa rues missed opportunity

Felipe Massa suffered a puncture on the opening lap of the race © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• Report:
• Vettel wins in Singapore after Hamilton retires
  

• Race:
• Singapore Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Felipe Massa

• Teams:
• Ferrari

Felipe Massa believes he would have had "a great race" if he hadn't sustained a puncture on the first lap of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Starting back in 13th place, Massa was caught up in the midfield pack through the opening three corners and sustained a puncture after contact at the rear of his car. Having limped round to the pits, Massa then drove an impressive recovery race to finish eighth after a long stint on the supersoft tyres at the end.

Massa admitted that he was perplexed by the difference in performance of his car between Saturday and Sunday, but was pleased to score points.

"Apart from all the problems I had yesterday not to be able to make a [quick] lap, but today it was completely the opposite," Massa said. "The car was very good; I was able to have a good pace all through the race. Looking at what happened at the start I was almost one lap down and then when I was on the track I was able to be one of the quickest cars on the track.

"Even at the end by having the supersoft I did more than twenty laps with the supersoft. I really don't know how it was possible to do that looking at the degradation I expected to have. I think that was very positive to arrive in eighth, I'm sure without this problem in the first corner it would have been a great race for me and for Fernando [Alonso]."

Having come close to a collision with Bruno Senna on the Anderson Bridge, Massa said he was lucky not to damage his car.

"He just pushed his car completely over my car. I was already on his side so just was in the wall, I touched the wall. Fortunately nothing happened with the car."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.