

Massa says he will not let Alonso pass him again
PTI | 12:07 PM,Jul 30,2010Budapest (Hungary), July 30 (AP) Felipe Massa said Thursday he has no intention of letting Fernando Alonso go past him again if the two are fighting for the win at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend. "I will win," Massa said when asked about a possible repeat of last week's scenario at the German GP in Hockenheim. Ferrari was fined USD 100,000 after Hockenheim when stewards determined that the Italian team had sent Massa radio messages instructing him to let Alonso take the lead from him on the 49th lap of the race. Massa seemed to comply and finished second while Alonso went on to win the race. Massa, who suffered a season-ending crash here in 2009, said he would quit racing if he was considered a team's No. 2 driver. "The time they say I am the No. 2 driver I will not race anymore, so I am not (No. 2)," Massa said ahead of Sunday's 25th edition of the Hungarian GP at the Hungaroring track. Massa said he had learned from the Hockenheim experience. "I'm very strong and I'm looking for the victory," Massa said. Two-time world champion Alonso, who has two wins this year, brushed off questions from reporters about the controversy, insisting that he was focused on the upcoming race. "Hungary is our main target right now," Alonso said. "(We are) completely concentrated on this race." While Alonso insisted that Ferrari's interests were the priority, he avoided saying whether he would let Massa pass him if that was preferable from a team standpoint. "Every race is different, with different circumstances and possibilities, and we will decide what is best," Alonso said. "We are privileged to drive for Ferrari and we know what we have to do." Alonso picked up 25 points for winning at Hockenheim, while Massa collected 18 for second place. The extra points for the Spanish driver could prove critical in what is shaping up to be a tight drivers' championship. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton leads the standings on 157 points, with teammate Jenson Button second on 143 points. The two Red Bull drivers, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, each have 136 and Alonso is fifth with 123. Alonso dismissed criticism that he would be a "dirty" champion because of the manner of his victory in Germany. "I don't think anything has changed. I'm still the same and I will fight always ... for the team and the sport," Alonso said. "Naturally, I have not been affected at all. If we lost even one percent of our concentration because of what's been said, we'd be finished." More (AP) AT


























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