Massa's dream fading

Felipe Massa has not written off his championship hopes - but the Ferrari driver admits it won't be easy.

Ferrari star admits championship bid is "not easy" after Italian GP retirement

Felipe Massa has not written off his championship hopes after the Italian Grand Prix, but the Ferrari driver nevertheless admitted that taking the title will not be easy. Massa lost further ground on championship leader Lewis Hamilton in Sunday's race at Monza after retiring on lap 10 with a rear suspension problem. Hamilton, who eventually finished second behind McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso, now has a 23-point lead over the Brazilian with four races still to be run. And, while the title remains a possibility for Massa, such is Hamilton's record of finishes this season - the Englishman has only finished off the podium twice in 13 races - the odds are now somewhat against the Brazilian. But Massa nevertheless took an optimistic line when asked about his championship chances by answering: "Impossible no, but for sure not easy. "I'll just keep my head up and be competitive. I'm sure we can fight for more victories."