Mixed bag for Ferrari

However, the win was subject to a post-race investigation by the FIA who were looking at what they described as an 'unsafe release' after Massa's second pit stop at the Valencia Street Circuit.

Within moments reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen ran over one of his own pit crew as he attempted to pull away at the end of his second stop, but with the fuel hose still attached to the car.

A disastrous few minutes was completed for Ferrari and Raikkonen when the Finn's engine blew, the team's second successive failure after Massa was robbed of victory in Hungary three laps from home three weeks ago.

At the end of the 57-lap race, Massa took the chequered flag by a comfortable 5.6 seconds margin from Hamilton, who at least has extended his world championship lead to six points over the Brazilian.

Valencia's marina may not have Monaco's glitz and glamour, but under clear blue skies and with a 115,000 crowd bathing in hot sunshine, the scene was set for a storming grand prix.

But anticipation turned to dejection for the home fans when hero Fernando Alonso's race was effectively run after just two corners. Williams' Kazuki Nakajima inadvertently driving into the back of the Spaniard's Renault, with Alonso losing the rear wing of the car.

In third place came BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica, who is now 15 points adrift of Hamilton, whose McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen claimed fourth.

The remaining points scorers were Toyota's Jarno Trulli, Sebastian Vettel in his Red Bull, the Toyota of Timo Glock and Williams' Nico Rosberg.

In the constructors' championship, McLaren have again closed on Ferrari, with the gap down to eight points.