The pole sitter, who had fallen behind his teammate and grand prix winner Kimi Raikkonen through the first pit stops at Sepang, mysteriously spun into the gravel around mid-distance.

"I don't know what happened, I just lost the car completely," he was quoted as explaining to the British broadcaster ITV.

"There was strange behaviour on the rear, so I don't know," the Brazilian added.

Massa's second retirement of 2008 means that while eleven drivers have scored points in the opening two races, the 26-year-old is now fourteen points behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

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