Hamilton ends feud with Massa with a hug after the Brazilian Grand Prix

[F1NAC]

Lewis Hamilton ended his recent stand-off with Felipe Massa after embracing his Ferrari rival immediately after the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Briton has experienced several run-ins with his Brazilian rival over the course of the campaign - which has included collisions in Monaco, Britain, Singapore, Japan, and India.

The pair had never spoken about their situation, with Massa claiming Hamilton had snubbed him in Singapore and the McLaren driver suggesting he saw no need to speak to his rival.

But in a bid to draw a line under the tensions that have developed this season, Hamilton visited Massa at the Ferrari motorhome while he was speaking to Brazilian journalists.

Speaking about what happened, Massa said: "I never had anything against him. I always respected him, even this year after everything that has happened.

"I think it is nice of him to come here because it was never going to come from me because I did nothing wrong during the year."

Hamilton said about the moment: "It's been a long hard year for all the drivers, and I hope they all have a good winter. It was good to have a nice chat with Felipe after the race. I have great respect for him and I'm already looking forward to racing him again next year."

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali also praised Hamilton for going to see Massa after the race.

"I think that I was pleased today to see Lewis Hamilton coming here today and hugging Felipe, because at the end of the day that is what it is all about," he explained. "It was a good gesture and I am happy it is pretty cleared up. I am very pleased for that."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96556

[Greig]

Good stuff all friends now till it kicks off again in March

[Agron]

I had to laugh very hard at people saying how pleased they were that Massa and Hamilton are now friends.
I sincerely doubt they are friends, or that they even have a good oppinion of each other after they have been ignoring and underestimating each other for a year, and would bet this is just Lewis' PR department telling him to say the magic words "I'm sorry and am now stronger because of this" he has been using for years. Pretty much every public gesture in F1 today is prefabricated by PR experts, but this one reaches new lows.

[Jose Lorca]

"I think it is nice of him to come here because it was never going to come from me because I did nothing wrong during the year."


Well said Felipe. It was never a "feud" but at least Hamilton spoke to Massa.

[Suzie]

How sweet.

It's lucky that the journos were there to get photos!

[Liscia]

Amen, for now.

[Jacquesvw]

If I were a driver in F1, I would prefer a handshake... all the hugging and kissing is not doing it for me to be honest. I would feel very uncomfortable if everyone with three legs started hugging me, but maybe it's done differently elsewhere in the world.

[Suzie]

If I were a driver in F1, I would prefer a handshake... all the hugging and kissing is not doing it for me to be honest. I would feel very uncomfortable if everyone with three legs started hugging me, but maybe it's done differently elsewhere in the world.

Not even a manly hug?

[Sianellen]

You can't beat a good hug

[racingbradley]

How touching Lewis I'm soooooo impressed NOT. Done for the cameras & journos
Come 2012

As for the hug great when you wanted to be hugged by that person----in this incident it was a case of grin & bear

[Katu]

talking about touching - didn't hamilton say to felipe that he didn't want felipe to touch him. as i remember from previous experiences - hug requires some body parts to be in contact

[theforce]

Hamilton said about the moment: "It's been a long hard year for all the drivers, and I hope they all have a good winter. It was good to have a nice chat with Felipe after the race. I have great respect for him and I'm already looking forward to racing him again next year."

I'm worried about this part

[Hornet]

If I were a driver in F1, I would prefer a handshake... all the hugging and kissing is not doing it for me to be honest. I would feel very uncomfortable if everyone with three legs started hugging me, but maybe it's done differently elsewhere in the world.

Perhaps they should do this bro fist

talking about touching - didn't hamilton say to felipe that he didn't want felipe to touch him. as i remember from previous experiences - hug requires some body parts to be in contact

Guess the loneliness got to him

[Poltergeistes]

Hugs between men are alright, in many stances now that are even a kiss on the cheek, and not just the old russian tradition, but it's something they do with great friends or family members, that has been going through something hard etc...

I remember the interview felipe gave to galvao bueno (brazilian james allen but good) a day after he lost the championship, he hugged him and kissed his cheek, there are times when even the most manly man might give such a kiss on another man, just hopefully it won't be because of some horrible event.

then again i'm brazilian, and i beleive we are known around the world for being very warm people.

[Tifosi]

"I think that I was pleased today to see Lewis Hamilton coming here today and hugging Felipe, because at the end of the day that is what it is all about," he explained.

Nice one Stefano. I always knew F1 was all about hugging and the subsequent indicision about the pleasure it brings.