FP2 pace-setter Massa rues “lost day”

Felipe Massa thinks the opening day of free practice for the Russian Grand Prix was a loss of time, despite the Williams driver topping the timesheets in a wet FP2.

The Brazilian set the quickest time in the dying moments of the afternoon but was limited to six laps as heavy rain swept across Sochi Autodrom. Massa had not secured much more mileage in a farcical morning session, which had been delayed by 30 minutes following a diesel spillage.

“Today was a little bit of a lost day,” said the 11-time grand prix winner. “We just did a few laps in the wet, and in the morning we lost a lot of time. It was not a very useful day.

“We just learnt how the tack is in wet conditions, the asphalt is quite slippery. But since not everybody was on the track at the same time and pushing hard, it’s very difficult to compare anything.”

Besides setting the afternoon pace, Massa also was in the limelight when TV cameras caught him napping while strapped in the cockpit of his FW37 with his crash helmet on.

“I was kind of sleeping in the car, it’s just one of these days where you cannot do anything,” laughed the F1 stalwart when he was asked about the scene afterwards.

Massa quickest in wet FP2 in Sochi

AS IT HAPPENED: Russian Grand Prix FP2