Felipe Massa has suggested that experience played a key part in claiming a podium finish at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.

The Williams driver pipped Sebastian Vettel to third place in Spielberg, keeping his composure with 34 laps still to race to secure a 40th top-three finish of his career.

Vettel's struggles to fit a right rear wheel opened the way for Massa to build up a lead, and the 34-year-old managed to finish narrowly ahead for the milestone achievement.

"It's great people here supporting," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "It was a fantastic race today. We managed to get Sebastian with his pit problem and pass him there.

"I understood that at the end of the race he would be behind me because they were one or two tenths quicker every lap. But I managed to keep the line and just use the experience."

Massa is now sixth in the 2015 drivers' standings, five points behind Williams teammate Valtteri Bottas.