Valencia F1.. - 26th Aug 2008 5:12pm
Ferrari's Felipe Massa became Lewis Hamilton's closest championship challenger with a copybook victory in the European Grand Prix at Valencia.
The Brazilian held off the challenge from Hamilton's McLaren throughout the race on the new Spanish street track.
Massa survived a stewards' inquiry after being released into the path of another car after his second pit stop.
BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica was third, while Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen saw his title hopes dented with retirement.
Hamilton's lead is a point bigger than it was at the start of the race - he now leads by six points from Massa, while Raikkonen's deficit following his engine failure has grown from five points to 13.
Massa's victory was allowed to stand after an inquiry into an incident at his pit stop on lap 37, when he was released illegally into the path of Force India's Adrian Sutil.
Unusually, the stewards decided they would investigate at the end of the race.
Officials eventually chose to reprimand and fine Ferrari 10,000 euros (£7,981), ruling that the incident was unsafe but that Massa had not gained a sporting advantage.
BBC Sport Report
Felippe deserved that win. If he had a time penalty, or his result stripped from him, then it would have been a ridiculous farce. He did nothing wrong.
Kimi on the other hand!! Hope his Pit Crew member is ok
The Brazilian held off the challenge from Hamilton's McLaren throughout the race on the new Spanish street track.
Massa survived a stewards' inquiry after being released into the path of another car after his second pit stop.
BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica was third, while Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen saw his title hopes dented with retirement.
Hamilton's lead is a point bigger than it was at the start of the race - he now leads by six points from Massa, while Raikkonen's deficit following his engine failure has grown from five points to 13.
Massa's victory was allowed to stand after an inquiry into an incident at his pit stop on lap 37, when he was released illegally into the path of Force India's Adrian Sutil.
Unusually, the stewards decided they would investigate at the end of the race.
Officials eventually chose to reprimand and fine Ferrari 10,000 euros (£7,981), ruling that the incident was unsafe but that Massa had not gained a sporting advantage.
BBC Sport Report
Felippe deserved that win. If he had a time penalty, or his result stripped from him, then it would have been a ridiculous farce. He did nothing wrong.
Kimi on the other hand!! Hope his Pit Crew member is ok