Motorsport: Massa in Ferrari breathrough

ISTANBUL - Ferrari driver Felipe Massa had tears in his eyes and a lump in his throat this morning (NZ time), after he joined the ranks of Formula One winners.

Even if he still needs 88 more victories before he can match seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, his team mate, the 25-year-old Brazilian was almost overcome by his Turkish Grand Prix success.

"I've been working so hard through my whole career to get to this moment," said the Sao Paulo driver, in his first season racing for the most successful team in the sport after three with Sauber.

"It's just amazing, looking back at everything in my life to get here -- I'm really happy and very emotional.

"It's a dream come true. A dream day for me -- these two guys know what I'm talking about," he added, sharing the podium with two champions -- Renault's second placed Fernando Alonso and Schumacher.

Massa had started on pole position, also his first, but had been expected to give way to Schumacher at a suitable moment to help the German's title bid.

The moment never came, with Alonso taking advantage of a safety car interlude to make himself the meat in a Ferrari sandwich.

For the second race in a row, with Honda's Jenson Button triumphant in Hungary earlier this month, a first-time winner graced the top of the podium.

Even if Schumacher remains very much the team's focus, with Massa not even sure he will be driving for them next season, the Brazilian came of age as a Formula One driver in Istanbul in his 66th start.

"He had his first pole and his first win. So he will be probably even more dedicated to help the team to fight for both championships. He is a very good team player," team boss Jean Todt told reporters.

Todt has said before that he feels Massa has been under-rated by a media focused on Schumacher's possible retirement and the expected arrival of Kimi Raikkonen, and he was happy to return to that theme.

"It's good to judge a driver when they are not winning, it's better...And I always had the feeling that Felipe was a very talented driver," he said.

Todt's son Nicolas is Massa's manager and he too was convinced the driver had taken a big step forwards both on and off the track.

"He led the race from the first to last and I think it's really good for his self-confidence," said the Frenchman. "When I read the press, I feel that he is completely under-rated.

"He's 25 and he has shown that he has really grown up a lot lately. When you drive for Ferrari and have Michael alongside you, I think you learn much quicker.

"I think that Felipe did an even greater job, taking into account that there was so much talk and so much gossip about whether he will stay or not...he was not in a comfortable situation."

- REUTERS