Massa plays down advantage

Massa: staying calm

I need to relax and concentrate on the next race.

Felipe Massa
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Felipe Massa insists leading the world championship at this stage of the season does not mean a great deal to him.

The Ferrari driver made a nightmare start to the season, failing to finish the first two races of the year.

However, he bounced back by winning three of the next six races, and climbed to the top of the drivers' standings in the process.

The Brazilian, though, says leading the table will not have much of an impact on his approach during this weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

"It's nice to be leading the championship and to see your name at the top of the sheet, but to be honest, it means little at the moment and I have to concentrate on other things," he told Ferrari's website.

"There is still a very long way to go and being the leader changes nothing for me.

"I prefer to concentrate on my job and look at the testing and each race as it comes. Only after all the races will we see if we did everything right.

"Sure, it's good to be first and to come to the next race, leading the series and having won the last race. It gives you a boost, but that only lasts until it's time to start practice again."

Massa is confident a niggling injury and a bout of flu will not hamper his racing at Silverstone.

"I need to relax and concentrate on the next race," he added.

"My neck is fine after some treatment but now I have this 'flu. But I am sure I will be fine."