Sauber's High Praise For Massa

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SAUBER'S HIGH PRAISE FOR MASSA

(ITV)

Swiss team boss Peter Sauber had nothing but praise for Felipe Massa after the Brazilian equalled his best ever F1 finish with a fourth place in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Massa, who last finished fourth at the Belgian GP in 2004, made the most of a chaotic high-attrition rate and a Sauber that seemed particularly well-suited to the Montreal track to work his way up from 11th on the grid.

"I am very happy with this result," said Sauber.

"Felipe was finally rewarded after two unlucky races. He drove a fantastic, controlled race, particularly in the closing laps {when under pressure from Mark Webber]."

Massa described it as a "fantastic day", having had good results wiped out by poor luck on more than one occasion so far this season.

"I made a great start - two places straight off the grid," he said.

"I just couldn't generate enough heat in the rear tyres after the safety car went in, and I had Webber right behind me all the way. They were the toughest 15 laps of my life!"

"In the last corner I could see he was going to try something but I was able to discourage that and hold him off."

Team-mate Jacques Villeneuve was left to rue a potential podium finish after he damaged his nosecone at the start of the race.

The under-fire Canadian had qualified exceptionally well in eighth place and was hoping for a result to put behind him the negative press attention of recent weeks.

"In the second corner [Takuma] Sato came across me and damaged the front wing so I had to pit straight away for a replacement nose section," he explained.

"That was effectively it for me because I just lost too much time. That was a great pity because the car was fast today.

At the end I could attack [Chritsian] Klien, but he was exiting the corners well and I could never quite get close enough to challenge him."

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"In the second corner [Takuma] Sato came across me and damaged the front wing so I had to pit straight away for a replacement nose section," he explained.

"That was effectively it for me because I just lost too much time. That was a great pity because the car was fast today.

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Who else?

[bajo39 0]

Who else?

[Senna 0]

Precisely, I was quite worried about Jacques proximity to him on the grid.. As nearly every driver in the field knows, Sato is at his most dangerous (and that is very dangerous indeed) on the first lap. Now Jacques did his part by going backwards after the start but it was not sadly not enough.

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Indeed. One does tend to feel sorry for the drivers in Sato

[Max Mosley 2]

Indeed.

[bajo39 0]

Indeed.  One does tend to feel sorry for the drivers in Sato

[Senna 0]

Prior to this race I would agree with this assessment but we learnt on Sunday that the dangerzone extends to the sides as well as behind the Japanese... it's more circular than linear in my estimation. I do agree that the greatest risk is to the diffuser/rear wing of the car immediately (up to 5 car lengths or so) infront of him though.

[iNSERT picture of Sato on top of Fisichella]

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You don

[bajo39 0]

You don

[Sato 0]

Have a look at the incident you idiots. Sato is quite a length ahead of JV and doesn't swerve at all, get over you bias and admit Sato was not to blame for once in your existance.

[nojvnof1 0]

back on topic, Massa drove very well and deserved his fine result. As for JV, I genuinely believe a podium was up for grabs.

[Kay 0]

"I just couldn't generate enough heat in the rear tyres after the safety car went in, and I had Webber right behind me all the way. They were the toughest 15 laps of my life!"

"In the last corner I could see he was going to try something but I was able to discourage that and hold him off."

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nojvnof1 take note - Webber was not just 'sitting there' as you have previous stated.

[nojvnof1 0]

I was talking about his race, which lasted 70 laps. In all that time he did nothing, and attempted one move on lap 70 out of 70, so I feel I'm justified in my comment. In 15 laps of chasing Massa, he only tried something on the last lap!

[Sato 0]

He tried before that, its why he lost several seconds at one stage.

[Kaciaj 0]

Have a look at the incident you idiots. Sato is quite a length ahead of JV and doesn't swerve at all, get over you bias and admit Sato was not to blame for once in your existance.

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When a car crashes into the rear of another the driver who follows is always the one to blame cause during a race and expecially in the first phases you have to expect something happenning.So stop blaming Sato for this

[Kay 0]

I was talking about his race, which lasted 70 laps. In all that time he did nothing, and attempted one move on lap 70 out of 70, so I feel I'm justified in my comment. In 15 laps of chasing Massa, he only tried something on the last lap!

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Wow you were watching a different race then because ITV clearly showed him trying to take DC and Massa before that.

Or are you just blinkered?

[Chris Strange 0]

You don

[Taku 0]

nojvnof1 take note - Webber was not just 'sitting there' as you have previous stated.

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well spotted. massa's not on eto exagerrate praise. if he wasn't feeling th epressure he wouldn't have said it. he's too proud, he's probably proud of himself that he held him off.

[Senna 0]

When a car crashes into the rear of another the driver who follows is always the one to blame cause during a race and expecially in the first phases you have to expect something happenning.So stop blaming Sato for this

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What rubbish.

[nojvnof1 0]

"Or are you just blinkered?"

yeah whatever, just because I have a different opinion to yours doesn't mean I'm blinkered

[nojvnof1 0]

Maybe Massa was saying those things as he knew Webber was quicker in terms of pace. He may have made a look here and there but nothing verging on a serious attempt to pass. I saw the race ITV showed by the way.

[Kaciaj 0]

What rubbish.

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The only reason you can say it was not JV's fault but Sato would have been if Sato had changed his line on the straight...and those are the rules not me

[Kay 0]

"Or are you just blinkered?"

yeah whatever, just because I have a different opinion to yours doesn't mean I'm blinkered

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It's not opinion, its fact - Webber tried to take DC. You can't have an opinion on that.

[Kay 0]

Maybe Massa was saying those things as he knew Webber was quicker in terms of pace. He may have made a look here and there but nothing verging on a serious attempt to pass. I saw the race ITV showed by the way.

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Strange, very strange.

You say you watched the ITV coverage yet you did not see DC v Webber? Did you look away? Are you forgetful?

Sure Massa says the hardest laps of his racing career were because the driver behind wasn't doing anything. Sorry but your comment does sound stupid in light of what Massa said and yes Webber did have several looks at Massa to attempt to pass him and definitely one go at passing him.

[Kay 0]

And for the record I was watching sbs6 and ITV, ITV at the start where they definitely showed Webber and DC, because I remember thinking about Martin being DC's manager so bound to say some of the things he did. I also rewatched it yesterday and this was one of the things I double checked.

[Senna 0]

And for the record I was watching sbs6 and ITV, ITV at the start where they definitely showed Webber and DC, because I remember thinking about Martin being DC's manager so bound to say some of the things he did. I also rewatched it yesterday and this was one of the things I double checked.

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What?