Emotional Massa gets his dream sign-off in final home race

Felipe Massa said that finishing this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix in seventh place was the perfect way to celebrate the end of his 16-year Formula 1 career.

"It's difficult to know where to start, to tell the feelings that I had in the race," he said afterwards. "The race today for me was like a victory."

Massa got a great start off the grid and leapt up three places on the first lap. He was also able to capitalise on the safety car to jump ahead of his old sparring partner Fernando Alonso at the restart.

"Everything was just perfect," he told Sky Sports F1. "Amazing start, then managed to overtake a few cars up to the safety car

"Then I knew the restart could be the only chance to overtake Alonso," he continued. "I knew he had better pace than me so I managed to pass him on the restart.

"After that it was so difficult, because I knew that keeping him behind me for 71 laps would have been very difficult. But I managed to do it! So today was definitely like a victory for me."

"It was like a victory. I did everything in the perfect way from beginning to end. Fighting with a guy that I was fighting a lot in my career, actually.

"It was a big pleasure to arrive in front and to be fighting, and to finish the race with my head up, I think that's the most important thing."

Massa had a 'dress rehearsal' for his retirement last year. he thought he would be leaving Formula 1 at the end of 2016 only to get recalled by Williams when Valtteri Bottas got snatched up by Mercedes.

Last year's race in Brazil had also been emotional - but it hadn't quite gone according to plan. Massa retired from that race midway through. While the salute he had received from fans the other teams as he walked back down the pit lane, it hadn't been the way he had wanted to go out.

"Last year I had such amazing emotion for everything that happened," he recalled. "Walking through the pit lane for the people from the teams and everything. But I was regretting the result.

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"I knew that maybe last year I had so much love and emotion from the people. But I didn't finish the race like I wanted. So today I finished the race like I wanted - that's why I came back for another year!"

There wasn't a dry eye in the house when Massa's son came over the team radio to say a few heartfelt words to his dad after the race.

"For me it was such an amazing moment talking with my son," he said. "It was very special to have my son on the radio but also my family here, all the fans, everybody supporting me. It is a race I will never forget."

After 268 Grand Prix starts, Massa says he has no regrets about finally standing down after the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

"I have so many incredible moments. I would say maybe the first victory in Brazil [in 2006] was a dream come true. Then I had the fight for the championship here in Brazil [in 2008]. I had a podium with Williams here in Brazil [in 2014].

"Today for me was like a victory - another one! I think I had amazing moments, amazing times, amazing fights. Difficult times. Everything was making sense.

"It makes you proud for everything that you've been through. You arrive at this moment and you see, okay - I'm so lucky. I'm so lucky to pass through all of this in my life, in my career.

"Knowing many different people, many different countries. Having amazing races all around these countries. I'm so lucky and thankful."

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