One race result won't change anything in the team - Massa

Five drivers are invited to take part in the FIA Thursday press conference, but inevitably, after their collision in Melbourne last Sunday Felipe Massa found himself sitting alongside David Coulthard.

"I had the inside line and was quicker than the car in front of me," said the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver, when asked to recall what had happened. "David closed the door and in my opinion he just did not see me. It's just a racing accident and that fact is backed up by the fact that the FIA did not put either me or David or the incident under investigation, which is what normally happens if they feel something is wrong."

The collision was not the only thing that went wrong in Australia in what Massa described today as "a crazy race and a very frustrating day. I hope we start a new championship here. We have examined the engines that failed in Melbourne and we feel we have solved the problems. With this and with the incident with Coulthard I am hoping we have had all our bad problems put together in one race weekend and now we can move forward."

Incredibly, even though we are only at the start of the second race weekend of the season, rumours are already starting about driver changes, including one story that would see Massa move on at the end of this year. Our Brazilian has been in this situation before and is well used to handling it: "I have a three year contract and I am very comfortable inside the team," he commented. "Everyone in the team is happy despite what was a very frustrating last weekend. But it is not one race result that is going to change anything in the team or in my contract."

The other big story in the news in this week has been Jean Todt's change of responsibility within the company. However, Massa was keen to point out that the Frenchman who had steered the Scuderia since 1993 would still be around. "He will still be participating in the most important decisions taken about the race team," revealed Massa. "Maybe he will not be at all the races but that does not mean he is not involved.

As for this weekend, on a track where Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro has triumphed four times, Felipe is optimistic. "I actually like this track, even last year I had a less than perfect weekend. But I'm looking forward to a good weekend this time, especially on Sunday."