Montezemolo insists Massa will stay on at Ferrari in 2012

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo insists there are no doubts about Felipe Massa's presence at the Italian team next year

Montezemolo insists Massa will stay on at Ferrari in 2012

Drivers such as Mark Webber have been linked to Ferrari's second seat as Massa continues to be overshadowed by team-mate Fernando Alonso.

The Brazilian has not won a race since the 2008 season and is yet to outqualify the Spaniard this year.

Despite speculation about Massa's future, di Montezemolo says there will be no changes to Ferrari's line-up next year.

"Massa and Alonso always bring something more," di Montezemolo was quoted as saying by Sky Italia.

"In the seventies, when I was a young sporting director, people would say that car and driver counted 50-50. Nowadays the car counts for more, but it's in that 30% that the driver can make a difference.

"Alonso is super, Massa is coming back: I think the drivers are not a problem. This is the time for gossip, but next year's drivers will remain Alonso and Massa."

He also backed Alonso's view that the team should not give up on the title despite the gap to the leaders, the Spaniard still 92 points behind Sebastian Vettel despite his win at Silverstone last week.

"[Alonso] is right to keep hoping [about the title], because hope dies last," di Montezemolo said. "We are all disappointed of not having been where we wanted to be at the start of the season, and this is why I'm pleased with the Silverstone victory, with a demonstration of superiority that gives us good hope.

"We'll count the points at the end. In the meantime we are working with next year in mind too."

He added: "The victory has certainly come at the right time, after a lot of work. I asked for a great reaction and I thank our men for the effort and the the capabilities shown.

"The fact that the first victory of the season has come at Silverstone, on the same track and in the same month when Ferrari won its first GP in 1951 demonstrates the team's strength and shows that Ferrari is always there and that a red car has been at the start of every race for the past 60 years.

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