Massa against cutting drivers' wages

The Brazilian's boss Stefano Domenicali last week prompted the idea of drivers having to accept pay cuts, as F1 braces itself for the effects of the global financial downturn.

"I think that in the following months there will be a major revolution, also with the drivers, as far as retainers are concerned," Domenicali said in an interview with Italian magazine Autosprint.

"I feel that in the current climate the big teams - the small ones can't do that now - won't have the ability anymore to think of offering certain amounts of money that some drivers get. So discussions can be held on this issue."

Those comments have, unsurprisingly, left Massa unimpressed - who believes it would be better for teams to focus their cost-cutting drive elsewhere.

When asked at a press conference for UNICEF in Sao Paulo about whether he supported the move to cut wages, Massa said: "I'm not inclined to it.

"In a competitive sport like this (F1), the driver plays a fundamental part, and the cost of the drivers are small compared to the total budget of the teams. The more people work to reduce costs, the better it is going to be for everybody."

Although supporting moves to cut costs in F1, he said he was wholly opposed to original plans to introduce a standard engine in F1.

"I do not find this idea interesting. The fight to diminish costs is important, but a standard engine gets away from what F1 is all about - and it cannot happen. A Ferrari running with another engine - that is not a Ferrari. It is the same for Mercedes, Toyota or Renault."