BUDAPEST, Aug 4, 2008 (AFP) - Brazilian Felipe Massa put on a brave face Sunday after missing out on victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix when his Ferrari car´s engine blew up three laps from the finish.

The Latin American driver looked sure to win for the fourth time this season to revive his title hopes, but instead he was left to reflect on what might have been and plan a revival for him and his team.

"It happened without warning, with no prior notice at all," he said. "We had no idea about it and it was sudden and unexpected. Obviously, I am very disappointed, but we will fight back from here.

"The confidence is there. I think after a race like that, even with the bad result at the end with two laps to go, it still counts what we did in the race.

"We showed a great performance, a great pace and great teamwork. That is very good for the next races," Massa said.

He added: "I am sure it is not a great feeling. When things looked already finished with only two laps to go and then you just hear something and have a strange feeling in the car as the engine breaks down, for sure it is not a great feeling. I feel really bad, and not happy for what has happened.

"We did a perfect job today and then we just gave it away because two laps to go is not really a fantastic feeling. I feel very bad, but unfortunately this is part of our sport.

"Now, we need to think forward and we need to think about the next race. We have a little bit of a break now, which will be good to prepare our energy for the last seven races."

Ferrari still lead the constructors championship, but rival Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren extended his lead in the drivers title race to five points by finishing fifth.

Massa, third on the grid, made a sensational start. He passed eventual winner Finn Heikki Kovalainen, who secured his maiden victory in the other McLaren, on the straight and then Hamilton in the first corner.

The Brazilian did not look back after this and appeared to be heading for victory.

"Well, I think my race was done on the start," he said. "The start was the only place where we could have passed Lewis (Hamilton) and had the opportunity to win the race, so that is why I took a lot of risk.

"But it worked. I think I made a great start and we showed incredible pace afterwards. I even managed to open the gap, which allowed me to open the gap in front of him some laps shorter than the strategy (demanded). Then we did a perfect job during the first stint and the second stint.

"My engineer was explaining everything on the radio. The pit-stops were great and everything was perfect, and then.... the end we know."