UPDATE 2-Motor racing-Massa takes Turkish hat-trick for Ferrari

(Adds quotes, constructors's standings)

By Alan Baldwin

ISTANBUL, May 11 (Reuters) - Ferrari's Felipe Massa won the Turkish Grand Prix from pole position for the third year in a row on Sunday after safety fears slowed Lewis Hamilton's challenge.

The Brazilian finished 3.7 seconds ahead of the 23-year-old McLaren driver, who had to make an extra third pitstop because of concern that his front right tyre could not take the punishment. Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen finished a close third and saw his overall lead trimmed to seven points from nine. The Finn now has 35 to Massa and Hamilton's 28.

It was Massa's seventh win in Formula One, and his second success in five races this season revived his title hopes.

The last driver to win the same grand prix three times in a row was former Ferrari team mate Michael Schumacher, in the United States from 2003 to 2006.

Massa's win was Ferrari's fourth in a row and meant that the Turkish Grand Prix, which made its debut in 2005, has still only ever been won by the driver on pole position.

Three of the Brazilian's victories have come in Turkey, including the first of his career, prompting a suggestion that he should change nationality: "I think I can get a passport here already," he grinned.

Poland's Robert Kubica was fourth, ahead of BMW Sauber team mate Nick Heidfeld. Champions Ferrari lead the constructors' standings with 63 points to BMW's 44 and McLaren's 42.