Formula One news

Massa wary of BMW role in title fight

Having got his championship challenge kick-started with victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Felipe Massa turned his attention to the current competitive landscape and is concerned of the role that BMW will play in deciding how the titles go this year.

"One thing that is clear after the three races we have had so far, is that BMW has really made a step forward," Massa said as he stopped off for a brief break in Dubai after the Bahrain Grand Prix. "But at the moment, it is hard to tell if they might be able to help us by taking points from McLaren or if they now have to be seen as genuine title contenders in their own right. It seems that at the moment McLaren and BMW are at the same level and we will have to watch both of them closely. It can go either way, in that sometimes this situation might help and sometimes it might not. Let's wait and see what happens in the next race. However, our own focus has to be on ourselves and on our car; improving it all the time and that will bring its own rewards."

"Looking at the championship after three races, I can't say there is anything in particular that has surprised me, but as I said earlier, it is clear now that BMW-Sauber has made a step forward," he added. "Maybe McLaren is looking a little bit less consistent than last year, when they made life very difficult by scoring a lot of points in the first three races. This year that has not been the case, which is good for us, because although we have not picked up as many points as we could, neither have they. That can be positive as long as we work hard to deliver consistent results."

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