Massa plays down Smedley comment

Felipe Massa was left with a puncture after contact with Lewis Hamilton © Sutton Images

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Felipe Massa has played down the comment from his race engineer Rob Smedley telling him to "destroy" Lewis Hamilton's race during the Singapore Grand Prix.

Massa was running fifth at the time ahead of Hamilton when Smedley told him to "Hold Hamilton as much as we can. Destroy his race as much as we can. Come on boy." A lap later there was a collision between the two which left Massa with a puncture and Hamilton with a broken front wing and drive through penalty.

Massa, however, told the official Ferrari website that he doesn't even remember the comment being made, and says it has nothing to do with the subsequent contact.

"I've been told that there was a bit of a storm over a phrase that my race engineer said during the race," Massa said. "Apart from the fact that I don't recall what Rob said, I don't think there's any value in stirring up trouble now and trying to link this with the subsequent contact with Hamilton: they are two separate moments and they have nothing to do with each other."

Massa also says he will speak to Hamilton to make sure he fully understands the situation.

"I'm sure that Lewis and I will find a way to clear this up and put a lid on this story, as is only correct between two drivers. What happens on the track should remain on the track."

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