Felipe Massa insists he shouldn’t be worried about his future at Ferrari as long as he continues to perform as he did at the British Grand Prix.
The Brazilian has come under increasing pressure to perform, having not finished on the podium since the 2010 Korean GP. Prior to his fourth in Silverstone a fortnight ago, the 31-year-old’s best race finish this year was sixth in Monaco.
He aims to cement his place in the top five to prove to the Italian outfit that he’s still got what it takes to remain in Formula 1.
“Looking at where I was just before Silverstone, I am aware that there are a lot of points still available over the coming eleven races,” he told the Ferrari website. “It is very important for me and I want to fight to get back into the top six or top five.
“That might be a difficult target to achieve, but you always need to set yourself a hard challenge. In addition, the Constructors’ Championship is very important to us and the better I do in the drivers’ the more I help Ferrari.”
“Of course I keep an eye on what is going on with other drivers, just as anyone likes to know what is going on in whatever work they do, but the only thing that is important for me is that I keep performing in the same way I did in Silverstone.
“In the two grands prix prior to that, in Montreal and Valencia, I should have been entirely capable of finishing in the top five or on the podium, but for various reasons – a spin in Montreal and a problem with the floor of the car in Valencia – that did not happen.
“Without that, since Monaco, I would have been fighting for the top five at every race. I’m sure that driving the way I am now is the only thing I can do and need to do to ensure my future,” he added.
“What happens in the drivers’ market does not have a significant effect on my position. If I carry on performing the way I did in Silverstone, then I don’t feel too worried about my future.”
