Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has reaffirmed the Scuderia’s commitment to Felipe Massa for next season.
While Massa’s current contract runs until the end of 2012, the 30-year-old Brazilian’s place in the team has been the subject of increasing speculation in recent months thanks to a string of lacklustre performances.
Massa has not scored a top four finish since last year’s Korean Grand Prix, and remains winless since narrowly losing the 2008 World Championship to Lewis Hamilton.
Following Fernando Alonso’s victory at Silverstone, the team’s first of the season, di Montezemolo praised both of his drivers.
“Massa and Alonso always bring something more,” di Montezemolo told Sky Italia.
“In the seventies, when I was a young sporting director, people would say that car and driver counted 50-50. Nowadays the car counts for more, but it’s in that 30% that the driver can make a difference.
“Alonso is super, Massa is coming back: I think the drivers are not a problem. This is the time for gossip, but next year’s drivers will remain Alonso and Massa.”
Massa currently sits sixth in the 2011 World Championship with 52 points – three places and 60 points shy of his team-mate.
The season continues this weekend at the German Grand Prix. See below for Speedcafe.com’s Nurburgring Race Guide
