Massa: Reliability is Ferrari's key asset

Felipe Massa believes Ferrari's reliability could give a key advantage in the title race - as he admitted that at the moment the championship-leading car is not the pacesetter.

Ferrari has a 16-point lead over McLaren in the constructors' championship at present, and Fernando Alonso and Massa are first and second in the drivers' standings, thanks to Alonso's first and fourth places in Bahrain and Australia, and Massa's back to back podiums.

But Ferrari has benefited from its consistency, as double polesitter Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull has wilted while leading both grands prix held so far this year.

Massa reckons Ferrari's relative sturdiness will prove crucial.

"We were not the quickest car in the first two races, but we did a good job," he said.

"We did some good lap times to start the first race in the top three with both cars, and in the second race, one car in third, the other fifth [on the grid].

"But it's true that on lap time, we were not the quickest car at those two races.

"But it was also true that we were more reliable compared to the quickest car.

"And in a championship where we have 19 races, it's important to be quick and consistent, but also reliable - and I think we were a little bit more complete [than our rivals].

"But we need to work a little bit to improve our speed."

With Sepang's long straights and hot conditions notoriously tough on cars, this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix will be another reliability test - although Massa played this down.

"I think it's important at every race," he said of the team's reliability.

"I'm not sure if the problems Red Bull had were because of the hot conditions [in Bahrain].

"This is a very difficult race for the car and drivers because it's very hot and humid, but that's something we need to think about and get to the end of the race."

He added that he wasn't certain where Red Bull's current speed advantage came from, but is confident that Ferrari's development efforts will close the gap.

"It's always difficult to be sure, because we don't have the numbers of the Red Bull car," he said.

"But we have some ideas to improve our car in some directions - to improve the downforce - and that's something that we're working very hard on."