Massa: race will be exercise in damage limitation

Felipe Massa thinks his Brazilian Grand Prix is likely to turn into an exercise in damage limitation, with the Williams driver struggling with overall grip around Interlagos.

Massa managed to set the eighth fastest time in qualifying but ended up nearly four tenths adrift of Valtteri Bottas. Although the 34-year-old veteran knows where the gap to his Finnish team-mate lies, he also admits to being at a loss to find out the reason why.

“I would love to be happier with my qualifying,” Massa said. “Unfortunately, I have not been happy with the performance since Friday, just struggling to find overall grip from the car, especially in the second sector where you have all these slow corners, and where I'm sliding and not finding the grip level.

“Everything I lose in the lap time is in sector 2.

“I tried changing everything in the car but it did not work like I expected, so we just need to concentrate on Sunday. But definitely this was not a fantastic day. I’ve had many better days than this Saturday.”

• Bottas confident for Sunday despite grid demotion

A two-time winner at Interlagos (2006 and 2008 whilst racing for Ferrari), Massa entered this weekend’s event with the ambition to repeat his strong podium performance from last year. In the light of his predicament, the Brazilian agrees that he will probably adjust his goals downwards.

“I am not starting from the place where I expected to start.

“Maybe it can be damage limitation on my race but you never know. Many things can happen in the race and maybe we can do a good job.

“The temperatures will be much lower; maybe this can help.”

REPORT: Rosberg takes fifth pole in a row by 0.078s

AS IT HAPPENED: Brazilian Grand Prix - qualifying

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