Massa not getting carried away

Felipe Massa fears Ferrari’s resurgence could be short-lived after admitting their Indianapolis dominance was a one-off.

The Brazilian scored a career-best finish when he came home behind Michael Schumacher for Ferrari’s first one-two of the year, completing a dominant weekend for the former world champions.

But that performance was inspired by Bridgestone superiority and Massa is wary of a Michelin backlash when Formula One returns to Europe, at Magny-Cours next weekend.

He said: “In Indy, the other tyre company I am sure adopted a more conservative approach than usual in terms of the performance of its tyres, after events last year.

“When we are back in Europe, I expect the competition to get harder for us again and that we will not look so dominant.”

But the 25-year-old is keeping his fingers crossed for a strong end to the season for himself and Ferrari, with contract talks looming.

His position at Ferrari is under threat, with the team yet to confirm either driver for next season, and he knows the remaining eight races could determine his future.

He added: “On a personal level, this is my best result and so it is important for me in terms of my career, as you need to be at the front of the field to be noticed.”