Felipe Massa admits he thought his F1 career was 'finished' before 2012 recovery

Ferrari's Felipe Massa has identified a change in mental attitude for his resurgent form in the second half of the 2012 season having slumped so low that he thought his F1 career was over.

The prospect of Massa returning to front-running ways does, though, beg one difficult question: would a sustained challenge to the team's de-facto number one Alonso be welcomed by Ferrari? Massa is certain it would be. "I can't imagine a team not wanting two competitive drivers," he told the team's own website. "We are fighting for two titles and I am sure the team will help me if it turns out that my situation was the same as the one that meant Fernando was a contender these past years. "I remember when Kimi [Raikkonen] was my team-mate and how much we helped one another from one season to the next. It's the same with Fernando, it's team work, while the harmony between us is a help, as it would be in any job. In Australia we start over from zero and it will all depend on my ability and on the way the championship pans out. "I hope to get off to the best possible start and my aim is always to carry the Brazilian flag onto the highest step of the podium. This year, I am the only Brazilian in Formula 1 and it was an emotional time on the podium in Interlagos last year, hearing the fans cheering my name: it's a sign of the affection and closeness I feel from my country and that is fundamental for me." It may just have been a slip of the tongue, but Massa's description of himself as the lone Brazilian on the 2013 grid would seemingly indicate that he believes Caterham, who are still yet to appoint Charles Pic's team-mate, are preparing to overlook the candidature of Bruno Senna.