Felipe Massa boosted by Monaco Grand Prix performance

Felipe Massa believes his improved pace in Monaco can act as a springboard to an upturn that might be enough to save his Ferrari career

The Brazilian is widely expected to be dropped at the end of 2012 after seven seasons with Ferrari, having struggled to match team-mate Fernando Alonso and following a poor start to this year's Formula 1 season.

In Monaco, Massa reached Q3 for the first time in 2012 and took only his second points finish of the year. But the Brazilian was mainly satisfied with how close he had been to the leaders, as he was part of a six-car train battling for victory.

Asked by AUTOSPORT if he thought he could still keep his Ferrari seat if he kept his Monte Carlo form up, Massa replied: "I think so. The race was very good, and the result at the end, I'm not very happy with because you always want more, but it was a good start for now until the end."

Massa said the Monaco weekend had given him a very big confidence boost.

"For sure I'm very confident," he said. "I was very confident during the whole weekend and I think the result helps a lot to push a bit harder and to get even better results from now to the end of the year.

"The championship up to now was not like I expected, but the championship is still very long, so I hope we can completely change what's happened up to now and go in a different direction from now to the end."