Classified advertising: 0208 267 5355

motorsport-news.co.uk NOVEMBER 2 2011 3

HEADLINE NEWS

Bosses urge warring drivers to make up after Indian shunt

Photos: LAT

AND

HAMILTON MASSA TOLD TO IRON OUT

DIFFICULTIES

Massa received penalty for Hamilton collision in India give meany space, and we collided. The contact with Felipe [Massa] was just one of those things. I really didn’t feel like I was at fault – it was a racing incident.”

The Briton also admitted that he had tried to smooth the troubled waters with Massa during the one-minute’s silence before the race, but the Brazilian shrugged off the approach. “Me and Felipe were standing next to each other at the silence before the start of the race,” said the 2008 world champion. “Felipe hasn’t spoken to me in a long, long time so I put myarmaround him and just said ‘good luck for the race’.”

Massa:Lewis to blame Despite that approach, Brazilian Massa said that he felt the contact on the circuit had re-ignited the feud and he said that the officials were wrong to hand him the drive-through penalty.

“When I tried to speak to him [at the minute’s silence] he passed through. He did not look to my face. After the one-minute silence he was at myside and then he just said, ‘have a good race’. So this [the on-track incident] is trying to what? Have a good race?

“I was in front, I braked later than him and I was in front, I was on the grippy area as well and then I started to turn and I didn’t see him on the left as he was behind. He touched my rear wheel. So, to be honest I don’t understand why I have the penalty.” Massa eventually retired from the race with a suspension problem after 32 laps that Ferrari says was partly caused by the crash with Hamilton. Massa’s view that hewas blameless in the crash was endorsed by team chief Domenicali. who said he thought Massa was ahead at the time of the contact.

“I always say that I respect the decision of the referee but I was surprised when I saw that decision,” he said. “When I saw that Felipe was in front at the apex of the corner our reasoning was that he had the line to get the corner. I felt surprised [with the decision of the stewards].”

Massa:judged at fault for hit

McLaren:Lewis will bounce back Whitmarsh backed Hamilton to regain his title-winning form and said that he thought the Englishman was being too critical of himself after his recent spate of problems. He said: “I have told him on several occasions, ‘don’t apologise, you’re a racing driver. If you’ve made amistake, accept it, learn from it andmove on’. He’s much too hard on himself but I’ve known Lewis for a long time and he has always been like that since hewas in karts. That’s his way, that’s his psychology and that’s how hemotivates himself.”

HAMILTONVS BUTTON

While Jenson Button has finished the season strongly, his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton remains beset by inconsistency. Over the last seven races, Button has outscored his fellow Brit by 131 points to Hamilton’s 68

KEY

Jenson Button Lewis Hamilton Crashed Mechanical

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 DNF

IS HI NG P OS IT IO N

F IN

1

W

W

2

Collides with Alonso in Malaysia and gets post-race penalty

3

4

Soldiers on to sixth at Monaco after hitting Massa and Maldonado

Retires in the early laps in Canada after pit-straight hit with Button

5

6

7

Whitmarsh says Hamilton feeling the pressure of Button’s pace McLaren head Martin Whitmarsh says Jenson Button’s strong end to the 2011 season has heaped pressure on Lewis Hamilton.

Button has finished in the top four positions in each of the last seven grands prix, while Hamilton has picked up just one top-three finish over the same period. Button is second in the title standings behind this year’s world champion Sebastian Vettel while Hamilton is fifth, some 38 points adrift of his team partner. After another contentious collision with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in India last weekend, Hamilton’s team boss Whitmarsh said that the 2008 world champion was feeling the heat from his fellow Brit.

“Lewis, the great, exciting driver that he is, will not like being beaten by Jenson. For any racer, the first driver you want to beat is your team-mate,” said Whitmarsh.

two Button’s to races three points 26 was Hamilton and final the in Button of clear since But reckoning. points

GP Hungarian the won Button more been has he July, in and Hamilton than consistent the double almost scored has managed. has Hamilton points pressure under feeling be great the of because will “Lewis said: Whitmarsh

Hamilton prevailed against Button when they were first paired in the Mercedes-powered team last season. Hamilton won three races to Button’s two and Hamilton was 26 points clear of Button in the final points reckoning. But since Button won the Hungarian GP in July, he has been more consistent than Hamilton and has scored almost double the points Hamilton has managed. Whitmarsh said: “Lewis will be feeling under pressure because of the great performances from Jenson. I don’t want him [Hamilton] to enjoy being beaten by his teammate. I want him to try to beat Jenson, just as I want Jenson to beat Lewis.” After the collision, Hamilton was performances from want don’t I Jenson.

to [Hamilton] him team- his by beaten to him want I mate.

Jenson, beat to try beat to Jenson was Hamilton eager to apologise to his McLaren team.

“My team worked hard all weekend. I don’t knowwhat else to say. I’m really sorry for my team.”

my for sorry really I’m say. to team.”

Whitmarsh is backing Lewis

W

W

W

8

9

ROUNDS

Massa infuriated by collisions in qualifying and race in Singapore

Pitched into advertising hoardings in Belgium after Kobayashi shunt

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

READ SIMON ARRON’S EXCLUSIVE INDIAN GP REPORT ON PAGE FOUR