APRIL 8, 2013

Massa confident he can win in 2013

Felipe Massa is sure he has found the road back to F1 success.

Behind Red Bull and Mercedes' 'team orders' in Malaysia, Brazilian Massa continued his solid return to full form, finishing fifth.

The Ferrari driver said it could have been a podium.

"I am very confident," he is quoted by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I think we can get back to winning."

Alongside the indomitable Fernando Alonso, it is Massa who is the unbeaten Ferrari qualifier in 2013, and he is also ranked ahead of the Spaniard in the points standings.

"I don't think we had the car to win at Sepang, but I think we had a very good car to fight for the podium," Massa said.

"The pace was good at the end. For sure without the problem of graining at the start, the race could have been very different and the chance to fight for the podium would have been much higher.

"It was important in the end to take home points, and fifth place - considering the first part of the race - was not so bad," he added.

"Now we have to keep our feet on the ground: we have done a good job with the car, but there is much to do to get the right development and make it more competitive.

"I think that if we continue in this direction, we have the ability to win races and fight for the championship."

(GMM)