Felipe Massa's final Brazilian Grand Prix may not have ended how he would have liked, but it set up a dramatic scene as he walked from his stricken Williams back to his garage to a standing ovation from the crowd and rival team members.
The Brazilian will retire at the end of the season in Abu Dhabi in a fortnight and this weekend marked his last home grand prix – an emotional occasion which Massa says he will never forget.
The moment was made all the more special as mechanics lined the pitlane to applaud the 35-year-old, something Massa says he never expected.
"It’s impossible to explain my feelings from today, for everything that has happened," he said. "So much love.
"We couldn’t finish the race. I wanted to finish in the right way, with the flag on the top. Unfortunately, I couldn’t, but I think God knows what to do.
"I was just walking, in front of my people, with this amazing reaction. Not just from the fans but from all the people in Formula One coming out to clap their hands for me. It’s impossible to explain these emotions. I never expected this in my life, I don’t think I deserved as much as this.
"The minimum I can say is thank you very much to everyone, all the people I’ve worked with, all of the fans. I will never forget this day."
Discussion about this post