Felipe Massa has conceded that his title chances are all but over, despite having a mathematic chance of taking the title come Abu Dhabi.
The Brazilian will start 24th on the grid after a gearbox issue during qualifying saw him stop out on track without ever setting a time – making it near impossible to score points on the Singapore street circuit.
As he spoke the media after the short session, he responded to whether or not his title chances were over if the top five once again outscored him.
“What do you think? Sometimes you ask some questions that are pretty easy to answer,” the Ferrari driver said.
“I am not stupid. I know how this sport works, so for sure yes. It is pretty clear.”
Massa will likely fulfill the role of helping Alonso to secure the title as the team have already shifted their support behind the Spaniard.
He will start the race with a new engine after Ferrari chose to change it after qualifying. It’s his ninth new engine, which would usually incur a 10-place grid drop.