Video: Friend of Massa tries to strangle driver at the kart track

Ex-Formula One star Felipe Massa has been forced to come out and apologise after one of his team-mates deliberately crashed one of the Brazilian's closest rivals off the track before putting his hands around the other driver's neck catalysing a brawl which caused both teams to be disqualified in the 500 Milhas de Kart event.

Massa was leading the event with his closest rival, Tuka Rocha, in second place. This is when Massa's team-mate, Rodrigo Dantas, intervened and forced Rocha off the track.

A melee ensued and both drivers attacked each other physically before security staff broke things up.

See the incredible incident below:

Massa has been quick to apologise for the incident, and believes that the feud which was taking place over the course of the whole race was to blame.

"From what I saw, the whole team should be disqualified," Massa said of the running battles between the teams.

"But that did not happen, and what happened next was a war inside the track.

"For me, this is very sad and sadder still to see my team within that. It was not my decision - I was driving the [leading] kart - but I apologise to everyone for what happened, because I have never seen anything like it in my career.

"The competition is inside the track, but never in this way."

The two teams involved in the spat, MDG Matrix and Sambaiba Centerbus Racing, were both disqualified following the fight.