Massa cautious on Hungary, but 'surprises' always possible

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Felipe Massa has left behind a difficult British GP weekend, but believes caution should be exercised ahead of next week's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Massa's story at Silverstone followed pretty much the same script which decided the Williams driver's fate in Austria, although for different reasons: difficult qualifying and a comeback drive in the race.

"As opposed to Austria, this time it was the tricky conditions with a damp track that slowed me in qualifying," Massa wrote in his Motorsport.com column.

"In free practice Williams had shown we had the pace to be in the top ten, and before qualifying I was certain we would be able to get through to Q3.

"We didn't have any problems with tyre warm up this time – which had been our big problem at the Red Bull Ring.

"But unfortunately before qualifying, the rain arrived and that meant track temperatures cooled a lot. The result was again we struggled to switch the new tyres on."

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Massa made up the bulk of his result at Silverstone on the first lap, and held on to his P10 position until the checkered flag.

"Coming home in 10th place, to grab a point, was realistically the most we could have hoped for after starting from the seventh row.

"It was a bit frustrating though because without our issues in qualifying I think we could have battled with the Force Indias and Hulkenberg.

"Points are always important though, and it is helping us building our total in the constructors' championship. It was good to see, too, that the mechanics again pulled off the best pit stop out of all the teams."

The Brazilian isn't getting his hopes up for Hungary however, a twisty layout which won't cater to the Williams' FW40's main strengths.

"It is not a secret that our car does not appear well-suited to tracks that have many corners and short straights – like Monte Carlo, Budapest and Singapore," he added.

"However, I also believe that every weekend can throw up some good surprises. And that is something I'm hoping for at the next race."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.