VALENCIA (Spain), Aug 24: Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton each had their own reasons to feel relieved on Sunday after finishing first and second in a processional European Grand Prix.

Massa’s win on the streets of Valencia wiped away the Ferrari driver’s disappointment at retiring from the Hungarian Grand Prix three weeks earlier with a blown engine while leading with three laps remaining.

The Brazilian, who drove from pole position to chequered flag in masterful fashion, climbed the podium with the race outcome still uncertain pending a stewards’ enquiry.

In the end he escaped with a $14,870 fine, with stewards deciding that while his release from his second pitstop had been unsafe there was no sporting advantage gained.

McLaren’s Hamilton, now six points clear of Massa in the drivers’ standings, was happy to have limited the damage after ‘flu symptoms and a painful neck had made the 23-year-old Briton’s participation doubtful.

Results:

1. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1 hour 35 minutes 32.339 seconds; 2. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren +00:05.611; 3. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 00:37.353; 4. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren 00:39.703; 5. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 00:50.684; 6. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Toro Rosso—Ferrari 00:52.625; 7. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 01:07.990; 8. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams—Toyota 01:11.457; 9. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 01:22.177; 10. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso—Ferrari 01:29.794; 11. Nelson Piquet (Brazil) Renault 01:32.717; 12. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull—Renault 1 lap; 13. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 1 lap; 14. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Force India—Ferrari 1 lap; 15. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams—Toyota 1 lap; 16. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 1 lap; 17. David Coulthard (Britain) RedBull—Renault 1 lap.

Retired: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 12 laps, Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India—Ferrari 16 laps; Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 57 laps.

Fastest lap: Massa, 1:38.708, lap 36.—Reuters