'It's an honour to be part of this world,' says emotional Massa

It wasn't the conclusion Felipe Massa was hoping for in his very last home Grand Prix, but the Brazilian was still overwhelmed with emotion as he soaked in the crowd's cheers and tributes.

Like several of his rivals victim of the treacherous conditions, Massa lost his Williams on the precarious run up the hill on lap 48, hitting the wall and ending prematurely his ultimate F1 race on home soil.

But the fervor and passion went into overdrive as soon as the local hero stepped out of his car and trudged back to the pits in the rain.

Tears in his eyes, and with the pitlane temporarily closed following his crash, Massa slowly made his way back to the Williams garage, with both Ferrari and Mercedes teams, and many others in the pitlane, giving him a well-deserved guard of honor in an emotional display of respect.

In the end , Massa collapsed into the arms of his wife and son, under a thunder of applause.

"It's difficult to explain the feeling," said a clearly overwhelmed Massa.

"This is such a special place for me, it's so amazing the feeling from the people here in Brazil, and from the people here in the paddock, everybody that I worked for. It's really an honour and a pleasure to be a part of this world."

"It was so special seeing all those guys coming out in the middle of the race. I will never forget this day, and all of you guys will be inside my heart definitely for all my life."

Massa also paid his own tribute to the Brazilian people and fans whose support he could not have done without in his many years at the pinnacle of motorsport.

"I just want to say thank you to everybody in the crowd, in the grandstands, from which I've had a lot of support during these 15 years. I was a bit sad because I wanted to finish the race for them. Unfortunately I couldn't but maybe it was better like that."

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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.