I am not a number two, says Massa

Alonso passes Massa for German GP lead

By Sarah Holt BBC Sport at the Hungaroring

Felipe Massa insists he is not playing second fiddle to Fernando Alonso despite controversy surrounding the Ferrari drivers in Germany last Sunday.

The Italian team appeared to give Massa a coded order to allow Alonso through to win, for which they have been fined.

But Massa says he is still on an equal footing: "The time I say I am a number two driver, I will not race any more."

"I've spoken to everyone inside the [Ferrari] team - and I'm not just here to race, I'm here to win."

Massa was leading with 18 laps to go at Hockenheim when his race engineer Rob Smedley told him: "Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understand?" - to which the Brazilian responded by soon letting Alonso through on Turn Six, before duly finishing second.

Since those events took place fierce debate has raged over team orders, which are banned in F1 - and on top of a $100,000 fine, Ferrari has been referred to the sport's governing body, the FIA.

Many observers within the sport, such as former team owner Eddie Jordan, have also stated their view that Ferrari believe the best way to win the championship is for Alonso to be the main driver - but Massa firmly disputes that his chances will now be impeded.

"I can fight for the victory," he told reporters ahead of this weekend's Hungarian GP. "I work for the team and I'm very professional.

ANDREW BENSON'S BLOG Having a rule banning team orders doesn't mean they don't happen, it simply means teams have to find duplicitous ways of employing them...

"It's not right to go into last weekend, we spoke already a lot. So yes I will fight for the victory here whatever the conditions. I'm working for the team and we know how important that is."

Asked if the same situation arose again on Sunday, Massa - who insisted after the race that it was his decision to let Alonso pass - simply responded by saying: "I will win."

Alonso is now 34 points behind McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton with eight races remaining, while Massa, who had failed to score a single point in the previous three races, is 38 points adrift of his Spanish team-mate.

Along with fighting of the drama from the German GP, Massa's return to the Hungaroring this weekend will be an emotional one coming a year after fracturing his skull in a near-fatal accident at the track .

The 29-year-old was hit on the helmet by a spring during qualifying for the 2009 race and paid a visit to the medical staff who helped save him on Thursday.

Of the incident, Massa said: "You know that sometimes you have difficult times but you always learn, and think forward in your career and in your life. I'm very strong and looking forward to the victory."

Asked if he would think about what happened last year when he races this weekend, Massa was unequivocal.

"No," he stated. "It's really nothing to do with my way of working.

"I don't remember a single thing from the accident. When you close the visor you do not think about these things. You just think about doing your best."

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