Massa: Ferrari have the advantage

Ferrari have dominated this week's running at Sakhir, with both their single lap pace and long run form, and Massa is confident about his Maranello team's preparations for the 2007 campaign.

When asked if he felt that Ferrari were ahead of McLaren and BMW-Sauber, he said: "For sure. It's difficult to speak for them but at the moment it looks like we are quite strong with a good package. Hopefully it will stay like this.

"We've made a big step forward in terms of set up work and aerodynamics. I think if you compare the first day in Bahrain and the end of the second week we've done a very good job and improved the car a lot - especially with the new aerodynamic package, which we understand how to work better on the tyres.

"I have to say I'm really happy and optimistic. I'm ready for the first race."

Massa believes that the biggest challenge to himself and Kimi Raikkonen will come from McLaren's Fernando Alonso.

"He won the last two championships and he is a very good driver who did a good performance in the last two years," he explained. "So he will be looked at by everybody.

"At Ferrari, we have two strong drivers who will be fighting at the front. But maybe there are other surprises."

Speaking about how he feels he will perform in 2007, Massa said he was optimistic about building on the form that helped him finish third in the drivers' championship last season.

"I expect to make another step forward compared to last year - especially in the second part of last year, which was a great part of the championship for me," he said.

"I'm really enthusiastic and trying to put everything together to be quick and enthusiastic, to be lucky and to have a great team working with me as well. I'm trying to put everything together to be successful."

But Massa has drawn short of making any firm predictions about whether he will be able to win the world championship.

"I'm not the kind of guy who likes to say, 'Yeah I'm gonna win.' I'm not like that. I'm going to keep working hard like I was always doing.

"In the end, winning the championship doesn't just mean being quick and being strong, you need to put everything together - especially luck, consistency, and speed. I'm going to try everything together and if I win I will be the happiest guy in the world."