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F1 Brazilian GP: Massa braces for emotional final Brazil homecoming

Felipe Massa is hoping to put on a show for his home fans at the Brazilian Grand Prix as he targets reaching the podium at his final home race.

After the Williams driver confirmed his retirement from F1 at Monza, thoughts immediately jumped forward to Massa's final home race at Interlagos.

The two-time Brazilian GP winner has enjoyed his most triumphant and bittersweet moments in F1 at his home track and his emotional 2008 victory - where he lost out on the F1 world title by one point to Lewis Hamilton - remains his last win in the sport.

Massa says he is preparing for a challenging but passionate race weekend and wants to pay tribute to his fans who have supported him throughout his 15-year career in the sport.

"Interlagos is home. It's the place that I grew up. It will be emotional racing there for the final time on such an amazing track," Massa said. "I'm looking forward to enjoying every single lap and hopefully I can manage to finish the race with a good result.

"I have won twice at Interlagos and have finished on the podium many times over the years and I hope we can get another one. It won't be easy, but I will do everything I can for my people and for Brazil in my last race at home."

Massa's last F1 podium came in the 2015 Italian Grand Prix and his best finish of the current campaign are two fifth places in Australia and Russia.

Williams is still in a scrap for fourth in the F1 world constructors' championship and trails Force India by nine points with two rounds remaining.

With Massa's retirement from F1, Williams recently confirmed European Formula 3 champion Lance Stroll will take up his race seat at the Grove-based team for 2017. 

Zdroj: crash.net