Felipe Massa: I have lots more to offer Ferrari

The Brazilian has scored just 25 points so far this year compared to championship-leading team-mate Fernando Alonso's haul of 164.

His scoring rate of 15.2 per cent of Alonso's tally makes him the worst-performing driver relative to a team-mate among the points-scoring teams.

Massa's future is uncertain after Ferrari failed to pick up the option it held on him that expired in July.

But Massa insists that he still has the ability to justify his place in the team.

"Because I believe that I am a good driver," he said when asked why Ferrari should retain him. "I think I can do a lot more than I have done in the first part of the season.

"I am much more happy and going in a better direction than I was in the first few races. I can do more than what I did [in the first half of the year].

"The direction is to stay here, but nothing is really sure yet.

"We need to concentrate on the races. The races and good results are the most important thing for me."

Massa scotched suggestions that the next nine races represent the most important spell of his career.

He emphasised that he has been in similar situations before during his 10 seasons racing in Formula 1.

"It's not the most important of my career because so many times have been the most important of my career," he said.

"I've had a similar situation many times. Together with these, this is an important moment of my career."