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Massa eyes fifth in drivers' standings

Felipe Massa's fourth place at Silverstone is his best result of the season so far © Sutton Images

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Felipe Massa is targeting a top five finish in the drivers' championship as he recovers from a dismal start to the season.

While Fernando Alonso sits top of the standings, Massa is languishing down in 13th place after scoring just two points in the opening five races. Since then, however, his form has improved and he finished sixth in Monaco and fourth in Silverstone - on both occasions within 10 seconds of the race winner - and Massa believes he can outscore the likes of Lotus and Mercedes throughout the rest of the season.

"For sure, the Drivers' is still important to me," Massa told the official Ferrari website. "Looking at where I was just before Silverstone, I am aware that are a lot of points still available over the coming eleven races. It is very important for me and I want to fight to get back into the top six or top five.

"That might be a difficult target to achieve, but you always need to set yourself a hard challenge. In addition, the Constructors' Championship is very important to us and the better I do in the Drivers' the more I help Ferrari."

Massa also believes that he will retain his seat with Ferrari if he can continue to deliver his recent performances after admitting he'd been an interested observer in Mark Webber's contract situation.

"Of course I keep an eye on what is going on with other drivers, just as anyone likes to know what is going on in whatever work they do. But the only thing that is important for me is that I keep performing in the same way I did in Silverstone. In the two Grands Prix prior to that, in Montreal and Valencia, I should have been entirely capable of finishing in the top five or on the podium, but for various reasons - a spin in Montreal and a problem with the floor of the car in Valencia - that did not happen. Without that, since Monaco, I would have been fighting for the top five at every race.

"I'm sure that driving the way I am now is the only thing I can do and need to do to ensure my future. What happens in the drivers' market does not have a significant effect on my position. If I carry on performing the way I did in Silverstone, then I don't feel too worried about my future."

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