Todt backing Massa to make mark
Ferrari team boss Jean Todt admitted Felipe Massa out-drove his seven-time world champion team-mate Michael Schumacher in the Malaysian Grand Prix, despite having a slower strategy and starting behind him.
The Brazilian, who spun himself out of contention for the win in Bahrain last week, started on the back row after two engine changes brought a 10-place grid penalty, while Schumacher lined up 14th after he also took a new powerplant.
Massa was given a full tank of fuel and a one-stop strategy, while Schumacher started lighter with the aim of stopping twice, seen as the optimum way to go.
But despite the seven-place headstart and setting a faster race lap, the German wound up staring at Massa’s rear wing in the closing stages as the pair finished fifth and sixth.
“Two pitstops was quicker on paper, but you cannot predict the traffic,” said the inscrutable Todt.
“Considering the traffic, Michael could not take advantage of his two pitstops and Felipe could take advantage of his one.
“After two races, it’s too early [to talk about the championship]. Felipe could not defend his chances for the victory in the first grand prix in Bahrain.
“I think he did a pretty good job here. I was very happy for him. He’s under a lot of pressure as well, it’s important for him to show he can score points and demonstrate that he’s a very good driver.”
In the past Ferrari have asked team-mates to move over for the championship-chasing Schumacher, which proved hugely unpopular with race fans and prompted the banning of explicit team orders.
Massa was delighted to have been given a free rein to race his illustrious team leader from lights-to-flag.
He said: “I didn’t have anything said over the radio. It was a normal fight for the position and I am happy for that. I could manage to block him and finish in front.
“It was a great race for me, I had a lot of fun. Starting last and finishing fifth was a great result. I lost a couple of seconds behind slow cars, but it was a very good strategy.
“I am really happy with my pace. If I had been starting in a good position at the front it would have been possible to fight for the podium, maybe, with Renault.”
Schumacher added candidly: “During the closing stages of the race, I was not able to get by Felipe because I just wasn’t quick enough and he didn’t make any mistakes.
“On my second stint I wasn’t as quick as I was on my first and third, so now we need to understand why.”
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