Brazilian driver Felipe Massa scored a great debut victory in winning the Turkish Grand Prix on the outskirts of Istanbul on Sunday afternoon after leading the 58 lap race from flag to flag, apart from his second pitstop. In blistering hot conditions, the Ferrari driver performed brilliantly and earned the highest praise from team boss Jean Todt, who has hailed him as a new champion.

Sunday’s win has helped Felipe cement his third place in the championship and as Jean Todt explained, this is more proof of Felipe’s worth, not just the fact that he took the team to glory in Istanbul…

"After 14 races he is third in the championship, and he did not score 62 points by winning the race. He had 52 before the race, he now has 62 after he won. He was already third in the championship, so for those with open eyes he is a good driver. It was a very good weekend for him because he had his first pole and his first win, so he will probably be even more dedicated to help the team to fight for both championships - even if he was already well dedicated. He is a very good team player.”

“Tonight I have a feeling he is a new champion. For me it is good to judge a driver when they are not winning. To judge somebody when you have some problems is probably more demanding, but more rewarding as well. I confirm that I always had the feeling that Felipe was a very talented driver. That is why we contracted him a few years ago and we are very happy to have him with us."