Felipe Massa insists he is not playing second fiddle to Fernando Alonso in the wake of the 'team orders' controversy at the German Grand Prix.

The Italian team appeared to give Massa a coded order to allow Alonso through to win and have been fined $100,000 and could yet face further punishment.

Massa said: "When 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."

The Brazilian 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 letting Alonso through a lap later. Alonso went on to win the race with Massa second.

The Spaniard insisted on Thursday that the events in Germany did not mean he was now Ferrari's de facto number one driver.
"There is not a number one and number two driver," Alonso said. "It is more about respect of each other, of racing for the Scuderia (Ferrari), which means a lot."

Alonso refused to comment further on the incident, saying his focus was now on getting the best result possible in Hungary this weekend.

"There are many opinions, many things have been said in the last couple of days," he said.

"The only important thing for us is the car is competitive and we can do well here in Hungary as well. We respect other people's opinions, but we concentrate on our own job."

Since the German Grand Prix, fierce debate has raged over team orders, which are banned in F1 - and on top of their fine, Ferrari have been referred to the World Council of the sport's governing body, the FIA, which could impose further punishment.

I will fight for the victory here whatever the conditions - I'm working for the team and we know how important that is

A number of senior figures have said they feel the ban on team orders is unworkable and should be removed.

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 insists he will not be held back.
"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.

"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."

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

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."

He added: "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."

Alonso is now 34 points behind McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton with eight races remaining - there are 25 points for a race win.

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 the controversy following Germany, 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.

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."

All wins are special. Winning is a great feeling and that was the case in Hockenheim, especially when I think of the huge workload undertaken by everyone at Maranello to achieve this fantastic one-two finish. No one ever gave up and I know how pleased they were to see two Ferraris cross the line ahead of all our rivals. For over a month now we have been saying that we had to get back to winning at least once before the summer break and finally, we did it. We did not have much luck in some races and, because of unusual incidents, we did not pick up the points we deserved. There was a slight feeling of frustration with this lack of results, but at last in Germany, for once we had a normal race on a weekend when he had no problems whatsoever and the result was there for all to see.

However, the win does not change my approach to the rest of the season. We knew full before Hockenheim that our car was much more competitive and that was what made me so confident. Now we must continue in this direction, starting this coming weekend in Budapest. The Hungaroring is a special circuit for me. It was here in 2003 that I scored my first Formula 1 win and I was on pole here last year. Returning to that 24th August seven years ago, I don’t remember much about the events of the day, because it was so emotional I had the impression that everything happened incredibly quickly: it would be nice to relive that experience this weekend at the wheel of a Ferrari.

The track can almost be described as a go-kart track for Formula 1 cars. The corners follow on, one from the other, so there is nowhere for a driver to pause for breath and it is vital to have a car that deals with the many bumps in the track surface and handles riding the kerbs. From the physical and mental point of view it is a pretty demanding race, so it is important not to get impetuous and overcook things, because any mistake is heavily penalised, especially in qualifying. It’s best to stay focussed and concentrate on your own work, trying to put together the perfect weekend, one step at a time. That is what we plan to do, starting on Thursday. I have already said it many times before: there is still a long way to go in the championship and the maths will only be done at the end.

Going back to Budapest will be a very special weekend for me, for reasons which you can all appreciate as it was there, just over a year ago, that I was seriously injured when a spring from another car hit me on the head during Q2 on Saturday afternoon. My first meeting when I arrive at the Hungaroring circuit will be with all the marshals and medical staff who did such a very good job of carefully getting me out of the cockpit. I want to thank these people, with whom I now feel a special bond. I had to stay in hospital for a week after the accident and I got to know the staff, who all treated me so well and one unusual result of the whole unfortunate episode is that I know I now have a lot more fans in Hungary.

Quite often this year, at press conferences at the track, journalists ask me if I feel I am back to normal and if I am driving as well as before and my answer is always the same: yes, in terms of my work, absolutely nothing has changed. But as a person, the accident did change me: it made me value life much more than before and I appreciate the ordinary things in life ten times more and it has put life and my health in perspective, not taking anything for granted and not just for me, but also for life in general and what it means to everyone. I know what it means now and I feel I am much more mature as a human being. However, on the professional front, nothing has changed, because once you shut the visor and go out on the race track, you just do everything as before, without thinking of the accident.

In Germany, we produced a great team result and if people were asking why Ferrari kept saying for several weeks before that the F10 had improved a lot, they got the answer in Hockenheim. But that does not mean we are sitting on our hands, because there will be even more updates coming this weekend and the result last weekend is motivation for everyone in the team to keep pushing even harder to keep the momentum going, improving race by race. There are other reasons to be optimistic about this weekend, including the fact that Bridgestone is bringing its Super-Soft and Medium tyres that have always suited the F10 very well, so maybe we can have another very competitive race. Throughout the year, we have seen that various teams’ performance has been very much related to the track characteristics, with the exception of Red Bull, who have been competitive everywhere. So let’s wait and see how we go at the Hungaroring. Personally, I have never had a good result at this circuit, but that has simply been down to circumstances, as I do enjoying driving here a lot and, in 2008 for example, the last time I actually raced here, I led for sixty laps until my engine failed. So all in all, there are many reasons why I am really looking forward to going back to Budapest in a couple of days time.

The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend gets off to an especially festive start for Scuderia Ferrari, as it prepares for the twelfth round of the Formula 1 World Championship in Hungary.

It’s Fernando Alonso’s twenty ninth birthday and the whole team enthusiastically gathered round him to wish him the best. Making it even more special is the fact that it was here in Budapest that the Spanish driver took his maiden Formula 1 win, back in 2003.

A year on from his near-fatal accident at the Hungaroring, Felipe Massa is among the drivers facing the media in Thursday�€™s conference, while on Friday his Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali will be just one of those fielding the questions�€¦

Thursday, July 29, 1500 hours local time (1300 GMT):
Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus), Robert Kubica (Renault), Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Sakon Yamamoto (HRT).

Friday, July 30, 1600 hours local time (1400 GMT):
Eric Boullier (Renault), Stefano Domenicali (Ferrari), Christian Horner (Red Bull) and Colin Kolles (HRT).

The qualifying and post-race conferences with the top three drivers will take place immediately after the respective sessions.

Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of Full Throttle Productions LP, revealed Red McCombs as the primary investor for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix�¢ racing project. McCombs, a business and sports legend, is committing financial resources, experience and the business relationships of McCombs Partners to complement Hellmund and his extensive motorsports�€™ background.

Hellmund and McCombs Partners have been working on potential site development as well as event and facility infrastructure. The end result will present one of the world�€™s most prestigious sporting events and the first ever purpose-built Formula One facility in the United States.

Hellmund, an Austin native, event promoter and former race car driver, has had a lifetime affinity for Formula One racing and has spent the last three years working to deliver the return of Formula One racing to the U.S. with his hometown of Austin as the event�€™s backdrop.

�€œThis project has been a tremendous undertaking,�€� stated Hellmund. �€œBut for at least the next decade, Texas will host a global sporting event on an annual basis in a new world-class multipurpose facility. Knowing that our hard work is being rewarded and that my dream is becoming a reality is extremely gratifying.

�€œIt is a great honour to have Red McCombs and McCombs Partners as our primary investor and partner. Red�€™s success in business and the professional sports arena is legendary. Working together as a team and under Red�€™s direction, we will ensure that this project will make all Texans very proud and will benefit our great State.�€�

�€œBringing Formula One back to the United States represents the opportunity of a lifetime and one that any city in the world would want,�€� stated McCombs. �€œThe size and scope of an F1 event is comparable to hosting a Super Bowl and will bring substantial economic benefit to Austin, San Antonio and the entire State of Texas.

�€œWe know Tavo has a clear vision for developing Formula One into a major event with year-round opportunities. Over the past few years, he has built a solid business foundation and has assembled a great team - one we are proud to be part of. We are ready to roll-up our sleeves and work alongside Tavo to make this project a huge success.�€�

McCombs, a Texas business and sports icon, is the former owner of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and the NBA's San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. In addition, McCombs is the co-founder of Clear Channel Communications and has owned nearly 400 businesses in his career, including McCombs Automotive Group and McCombs Energy. McCombs Partners serves as the investment management division of McCombs Enterprises, the family office of Red McCombs.

In addition to McCombs Partners, Hellmund�€™s team includes Prophet Capital Management, an Austin based private investment company founded in 1995, and MotoGP World Champion Kevin Schwantz.

Hellmund also launched the event�€™s official website: www.formula1unitedstates.com, a site dedicated to the local, state, national and global communities interested in the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix�¢. The site�€™s objective is to provide racing and non-racing fans alike a view into the global sporting event where 'technology meets glamour'. Site content will include information on the event visionary and investment group, FAQs, the host city of Austin, event news, Formula One racing information and Formula1.com�€™s onboard lap driving experience. Fans will have the opportunity to register to receive additional information including updates on event ticket packages. The site will be continually updated with the latest news and developments for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix�¢ project and respective racing industries.

Formula One racing is ranked among the top three most prestigious sporting events in the world along with the Olympics and Soccer�€™s FIFA World Cup. Formula One is considered the most technologically advanced sporting event in the world. It has a massive worldwide following, attracting more than 520 million viewers in 187 countries - making it the most-watched annual sport in the world. This project will place Austin and the state of Texas on the global stage. Its economic impact to the community is estimated to be approximately US$300 million on an annual basis, according to the Office of the Texas Comptroller.

Austin, Texas is located at the epicentre of a surrounding population of nearly 20 million people and provides 130 daily departing international flights within 180 miles. Austin also offers easy access from each U.S. coast, as well as from Canada, Europe, Mexico, Central and South America.

The track will be located on a 900-acre site in southeast Austin along the SH 130 corridor near FM 812. The majority of land involved in the project is formerly known as the Wandering Creek property. The site�€™s natural topography is expected to provide an excellent canvas for the world class facility.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari
2009 Qualifying - 1st, 2009 Race - DNF
�€œWe knew full before Hockenheim that our car was much more competitive and that was what made me so confident. Now we must continue in this direction, starting this coming weekend in Budapest. The Hungaroring is a special circuit for me. It was here in 2003 that I scored my first Formula 1 win and I was on pole here last year. Returning to that 24th August seven years ago, I don�€™t remember much about the events of the day, because it was so emotional I had the impression that everything happened incredibly quickly: it would be nice to relive that experience this weekend at the wheel of a Ferrari.

�€œThe track can almost be described as a go-kart track for Formula 1 cars. The corners follow on, one from the other, so there is nowhere for a driver to pause for breath and it is vital to have a car that deals with the many bumps in the track surface and handles riding the kerbs. From the physical and mental point of view it is a pretty demanding race, so it is important not to get impetuous and overcook things, because any mistake is heavily penalised, especially in qualifying. It�€™s best to stay focussed and concentrate on your own work, trying to put together the perfect weekend, one step at a time. That is what we plan to do, starting on Thursday. I have already said it many times before: there is still a long way to go in the championship.�€�

Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2009 Qualifying - n/a, 2009 Race - n/a
�€œGoing back to Budapest will be a very special weekend for me, for reasons which you can all appreciate as it was there, just over a year ago, that I was seriously injured when a spring from another car hit me on the head during Q2 on Saturday afternoon. My first meeting when I arrive at the Hungaroring circuit will be with all the marshals and medical staff who did such a very good job of carefully getting me out of the cockpit. I want to thank these people, with whom I now feel a special bond. I had to stay in hospital for a week after the accident and I got to know the staff, who all treated me so well and one unusual result of the whole unfortunate episode is that I know I now have a lot more fans in Hungary. Quite often this year, at press conferences at the track, journalists ask me if I feel I am back to normal and if I am driving as well as before and my answer is always the same: yes, in terms of my work, absolutely nothing has changed. But as a person, the accident did change me: it made me value life much more than before and I appreciate the ordinary things in life ten times more and it has put life and my health in perspective, not taking anything for granted and not just for me, but also for life in general and what it means to everyone. I know what it means now and I feel I am much more mature as a human being. However, on the professional front, nothing has changed, because once you shut the visor and go out on the race track, you just do everything as before, without thinking of the accident.

�€œIn Germany, we produced a great team result and if people were asking why Ferrari kept saying for several weeks before that the F10 had improved a lot, they got the answer in Hockenheim. But that does not mean we are sitting on our hands, because there will be even more updates coming this weekend and the result last weekend is motivation for everyone in the team to keep pushing even harder to keep the momentum going, improving race by race. There are other reasons to be optimistic about this weekend, including the fact that Bridgestone is bringing its Super-Soft and Medium tyres that have always suited the F10 very well, so maybe we can have another very competitive race. Throughout the year, we have seen that various teams�€™ performance has been very much related to the track characteristics, with the exception of Red Bull, who have been competitive everywhere. So let�€™s wait and see how we go at the Hungaroring. Personally, I have never had a good result at this circuit, but that has simply been down to circumstances, as I do enjoying driving here a lot and, in 2008 for example, the last time I actually raced here, I led for sixty laps until my engine failed. So all in all, there are many reasons why I am really looking forward to going back to Budapest in a couple of days�€™ time.�€�

Bernard Ecclestone and Michel Boeri met today in London and have agreed to extend the contract between Formula One Administration Limited and Automobile Club de Monaco for a further 10 years.

The next Monaco Grand Prix will take place on May 29, 2011.

Bernie Ecclestone admits a discussion on Formula 1’s team order regulations is needed in wake of the controversy caused by Ferrari at Hockenheim, with the commercial supremo in favour of allowing teams to manage their cars as they see fit.

Ferrari’s apparent coded message to Felipe Massa at Hockenheim has re-opened the debate about team orders in the sport, with several team bosses having suggested the incident has done fresh damage to F1’s image.

Article 39.1 which profits team orders that interfere with the race result was inserted into the sporting regulations by the FIA in 2002 following that year’s Austrian Grand Prix when Ferrari ordered Rubens Barrichello to make way for Michael Schumacher to win the race.

Ferrari looks set to appear before the governing body’s World Motor Sport Council but Ecclestone - who sits on the WMSC - when asked if, as some pundits have suggested, the regulation should be written out of the rulebook, said it was his opinion that teams should be able to do as they like.

"I don't know, we'll have to see. It's something that needs to be discussed," he was quoted as saying by the Press Association.

"Nobody should interfere as to how they run their team.

"But of course if they do something that's dangerous then obviously they're going to be in trouble, otherwise get on with it."

Former McLaren and Red Bull driver turned pundit David Coulthard has been one leading F1 figure to call on the team orders rules to be scrapped, and Ecclestone admitted given that the image of ‘a team’ is a strong one in F1 then it should be the prerogative of the individual squad how it executes its race strategy.

"I must confess I would agree with anyone who thinks that," said Ecclestone.

"We make people call it a team, we say it's got be a team.

"All the cars have to be exactly the same, the drivers wear the same overalls, so everybody has to look like a team - a team of people that are racing.

Ferrari is confident that the World Motor Sport Council will understand its controversial actions at Hockenheim after it decided not to appeal against the $100,000 fine imposed on it by race stewards.

The Italian squad was engulfed in a team orders controversy after finishing 1-2 in Sunday’s race after Felipe Massa let team-mate Fernando Alonso through to win the race with 18 laps remaining.

Ferrari denied afterwards that it had given Massa any instruction to cede the position, saying that it had simply told him that his team-mate was faster and that the Brazilian took the decision to move aside in the interests of the team.

Nevertheless the radio message was widely interpreted as a coded team order and race stewards later judged that it had broken Article 39.1 of the sporting regulations forbidding team orders that interfere with the race result � while also referring the case to the FIA’s WMSC for further consideration.

On Sunday evening Ferrari confirmed that, in the interests of the sport, it would not be contesting the fine but added that it had faith that the FIA would assess the case in the right manner.

“As for the Stewards’ decision, given after the race, in the interests of the sport, we have decided not to go through a procedure of appealing against it, confident that the World Council will know how to evaluate the overall facts correctly,” team principal Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.

After Sunday’s race Domenicali, both drivers, Massa’s race engineer Rob Smedley and Ferrari team manager Massimo Rivola were all summoned to see the race stewards to explain the situation.

Later Domenicali was asked if he would have done anything differently during the course of the race, to which he replied: “Honestly, a way to handle it better? I don't think so.

“I think that the situation started really from the fact that we wanted to make sure that we shouldn’t have any difficult situation between our drivers.

“This is what we don’t want because we want to have the team’s best interests [put first].”