Felipe Massa has confirmed that if he can help Fernando Alonso to reinforce his lead in the drivers’ world championship this weekend, he will.<\/p>\n
“If it depends on me, then for sure (I will help),” he is quoted as saying in Brazil by the news agency EFE.<\/p>\n
Massa, who was controversially ordered aside for his Ferrari teammate at Hockenheim in July, is a specialist of his local Interlagos circuit and a crowd favourite.<\/p>\n
But he concedes the Italian team’s desire to put its full weight behind Alonso’s title charge.<\/p>\n
“I’m a professional.\u00a0 I did it already in 2007,” added Massa, referring to his then teammate Kimi Raikkonen’s successful championship campaign alongside him three years ago.<\/p>\n
Team boss Stefano Domenicali has confirmed this week that Alonso and Massa will return to a position of equality in 2011.<\/p>\n
When asked if Spaniard Alonso is the best teammate he has had at Ferrari, he answered emphatically: “No.\u00a0 I’ve had three (teammates) all at the same highest level.<\/p>\n
“I don’t need to say anything about Schumacher because his career speaks for itself.\u00a0 Kimi was also excellent.\u00a0 I see all three of them on the same level.<\/p>\n
“Alonso has had a better season than me and has been more competitive.\u00a0 It has not been my best year, not only with the results but also the problems I have had in qualifying warming up the tyres.<\/p>\n
“For me, 2011 will be better than 2010,” he insisted.<\/p>\n
In additional comments published by the Globo newspaper, Massa said he thinks his Brazilian fans will understand his position at Interlagos this weekend.<\/p>\n
“I think the public has always treated me very well, not only the day before what happened in Germany, but also the day after.<\/p>\n
“The journalists, no.\u00a0 But the public, yes — always.\u00a0 I am sure the fans will be great and I will do my best to give them a good result,” added Massa.<\/p>\n
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