The circuit is one of the best - Massa

In the attractive setting of the team hospitality area at this very modern and sophisticated facility, Felipe Massa met the world's media this afternoon to talk about his hopes for the weekend. But first the journalists wanted to know how the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver was feeling after the first two races failed to produce any points.

"It will not change my mood, it will not change my work, it will not change my speed, it will not change anything," emphasised Massa. The clock goes forwards not backwards so now we need to think about this race. The important thing is that we have a good car, a good team and I am looking forward to having a great result here. This is my target for the weekend."

Massa can take some encouragement that when he came to Bahrain last year he was in a similar situation and then went on to win on Sunday. "Of course, I think about the fact I won here last year and I do like this track," he said. "But we cannot say that just because I won last year, I will do it again this Sunday. Inside myself, I know what I'm doing and I know what I have to do to be quick in the car and to be fast and consistent. In Malaysia, I did start from pole and did some good laps, it was just in the end the result did not come.

Massa played down the possible advantage of having run here in February, when only Toyota joined the Scuderia for the test. "I think it is difficult to say if we have an advantage from having tested here at Sakhir in the winter. But we feel comfortable at this track which is a very interesting and quick one." Felipe needed all his diplomatic skills to deal with a suggestion from a journalist that he had a bad time recently because Michael Schumacher is no longer his team-mate! "I don't think I won races because Michael was there," he said, managing a smile. "I work with my engineers and get on with my job and that is the same now with Kimi as it was when Michael was my team-mate. And I don't agree that Kimi gets the best strategy. I choose my strategy and sure I lost a bit of time in the first pit stop in Malaysia, but I still believe I was on a good strategy for that race."

And finally a word about the Sakhir circuit and its desert location. "The wind can always make life difficult, but the sand is not a problem because, as long as you clean the track on the first day, it improves over the final two days, but the difficulties are the same for everyone," explained Massa. "I think it is very nice to be here in Bahrain and the circuit is one of the best."