ISTANBUL, May 28 – Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali quashed any rumours on Thursday that Felipe Massa might be leaving Ferrari by saying he is sure that the Brazilian driver will stay.Massa has raced for the Italian team since 2001 but has struggled to match the pace of new team-mate Spaniard Fernando Alonso.
Massa’s contract expires at the end of the season and there has been increasing speculation that either Australian Mark Webber of Red Bull or Pole Robert Kubica of Renault would succeed him.
When asked ahead of this weekend’s turkish Grand Prix if he was sure Massa would stay Domenicali said: "Yes, I think so."
Domenicali also insisted that he has been pleased with two time former world champion Alonso’s efforts since joining the team at the start of the season.
"I don’t want to speak about mistakes, we are a group and the team do the best with the car and the drivers do the best with the performance.
"I’m very pleased with him. He came into the team in a fantastic way and I think that he gave input to the team and I say let’s wait until the end of the season.
"He will be very strong – I have no doubt about that."
Alonso lies third in the driver standings with 75 points and is hoping to turn around a dip in form since his win in the opening race in Bahrain.
Massa is fifth with 61 points and looking for his first win of the year in Istanbul at one of his favourite tracks which saw him win three times in succession from 2006 to 2008.
Ferrari are second in the constructor’s championship, 20 points behind front-runners Red Bull.
