Every single point counts - Massa

After a good, but long period of pre-season testing, Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipe Massa can't wait to get behind the wheel of his F2008 for the Australian GP weekend. According to the Brazilian, Ferrari's main rival will again be McLaren.

"After all our winter testing, the serious business of racing starts again and I cannot wait for Sunday afternoon to come here in Albert Park. I only arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday, having spend some time at home in Brazil. My life there is the same as ever and I suppose the main change in my life since the end of last year is that I am now a married man. In the best possible way, it has not changed our life together very much!

"Overall, winter testing went pretty well and I was happy with the car right from the very start through to the end as the various new developments came on stream over the winter months. Of course, we need to keep working but the team has done a good job and we put in a very high mileage. On the reliability front it is difficult to say exactly what might happen, but on this point we are definitely in better shape than we were at the start of '07. Now, with the racing starting, we will see where we stand and if and in which areas we need to improve. What we are certain of is that we are starting from a good base line.

"I have not been so lucky at this circuit in the past, failing to complete the first lap two years ago and then last year I had a problem in qualifying. Sure, it is important to make a good start to the season, but the sport is so competitive, you also need to have a good middle and a good end! Hopefully this weekend will go better than the last two in Australia. You know, when there are two teams that are very close and competitive, which I think is the situation again this year, then every single point counts race by race.

"The start of the season is always exciting, even if now with a bit of experience, it is slightly less than when I first started racing as I have a better idea what to expect. It is not just the fact it is the first race that brings this excitement but the fact you finally get to see who was really doing what in winter testing and if your assessment and predictions were correct.

"Now we have to wait and see and work hard over the next few days."