Massa stimulated by the reliability of the F2008

Felipe Massa, Ferrari driver, believes that his team is in an even more favorable position than last year at the same time in terms of reliability.

The Brazilian’s chances of final victory last season were hampered by mechanical problems. The Scuderia has worked tirelessly to prevent any recurrence on the new F2008.

He explains that all the problems present during winter testing in previous years seem to have disappeared.

He stated for Autosprint magazine: « Last year, and two years ago, we always had many mechanical issues during the initial tests. Minor issues, because both cars were generally excellent, but these required you to change your approach. »

« And then, following a test, the problem had disappeared but another had appeared in a different place. It was an uncomfortable situation. »

« I knock on wood, but this car seems much more reliable. We have made a lot of progress on both cars. We can still take a step forward because there is some room in the execution of our work, » he added.

Massa finished in fourth position in the 2007 standings, while his teammate Kimi Räikkönen was crowned world champion.

As a result, Massa might feel in a position of inferiority compared to the Finn, but the Brazilian considers himself more of a favorite. He claims to be able to fight for the championship in 2008.

« You always have an advantage when you win something. That was the case for me when I won my first race. But from a performance standpoint, Kimi and I are equal. To become world champion, you need everything, even luck, and I lacked that in 2007, » he said.

« But this year, I feel stronger and more motivated than ever, because I know I will be on equal footing with Kimi. »