BUDAPEST: Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali said on Friday that he is confident Brazilian driver Felipe Massa will remain with the team in the wake of the “team orders” controversy at the German Grand Prix.

Domenicali told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix that he also felt Ferrari had been treated unfairly by the media in the storm that ensued after Massa was informed that team-mate Fernando Alonso was driving faster than him in last Sunday’s race.

That message was seen as a coded instruction for Massa to ease off, which he did, allowing Alonso to pass him, take the lead and go on to victory.

Domenicali said he could not envisage Massa allowing his disappointment at not winning to interfere with his relationship with Ferrari, the team and the people.

“No, no, I don’t think so,” he said. “No, I don’t think so because we have always been very happy about Felipe.

“We were helping on the personal side. On the professional side, we are proud of him and we don’t change our view.

“I think that the philosophy of his life is really part of our spirit and we respect that and I think that he respects (that) too.

“At this moment, when you are surrounded by a lot of people that are pushing you – friends, real friends, friends that are not real friends, people that are saying to you something and when you turn your back, they say the opposite – it’s normal that you react with this kind of energy.

“It’s important that this energy has to be not negative. It has to be positive, positive for him, because that’s part of the game, but also positive for the team.”

He added: “No-one more than Ferrari has supported Felipe, every time, all the time.

“As I said, we go back to short memories. A couple of races ago, a lot of people in this room were saying, ‘What’s it all about, what is happening (with Massa)?’ and we always said, ‘No, no, Felipe’s a great driver, he’s a great man.’

“So no-one can say Ferrari have done anything to Felipe.

“We always support him. We feel a lot for him.

“I don’t want to follow this because I don’t think it is correct and I don’t want people to have short memories, because that is wrong, in life and in sport.” — AFP

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