Lewis Hamilton ended a long-running Formula One feud with Felipe Massa on Sunday by walking up to the Ferrari driver after the Brazilian Grand Prix and giving him a hug.

"It's been a long hard year for all the drivers, and I hope they all have a good winter," McLaren's 2008 World champion, who retired from the race at Interlagos with a gearbox failure, said.

"It was good to have a nice chat with Felipe after the race. I have great respect for him and I'm already looking forward to racing him again next year."

Massa welcomed the gesture: "I was pleased that Lewis came around to see me...it was a very nice gesture on his part," he said.

Hamilton and Massa have had a magnetic attraction on the track this season, colliding six times -- most recently in India last month -- and ending up barely on speaking terms.

The two looked like they might be on for another coming together at Interlagos on Sunday, with Hamilton hot on Massa's heels in a battle for fifth place until a gearbox failure sidelined the Briton.