Speaking on the first say of his team's annual press -get together at Madonna di Campiglio in the Dolomite mountains this morning, Ferrari 'new boy' Felipe Massa said that he is looking forward to the challenge ahead.

However, the Brazilian, who only has a one-year contract with the Italian outfit, and partners Michael Schumacher, who is preparing for his eleventh season with the team, says that he has no worries with regards his status within the team, and doesn't see himself as the German's 'side-kick'.

"My contract doesn't say anything that," he told the assembled reporters. "It says that I have to do my best and that the team will give me full support and I have seen that in testing.

"On the other hand," he continued, "when you have someone who came here after nearly 20 years without a victory and he goes and wins the world championship five years in a row then for sure he is going to have incredible support," he added, referring to the effect that Schumacher had on the Italian team, which, until he won the 2000 drivers title hadn't won the Championship since 1979.

"Every new driver needs to win the support of the team," he admitted, "but I think it is easier for the team to make two cars that are the same rather than two different ones and I think they want the most number of points for the team."

Speaking of his relationship with Schumacher, Massa said: "To get advice from someone like him is very valuable and he has always been very kind to me."

He was also quick to dismiss growing speculation regarding who will drive the red car(s) is 2007, a subject which has been only everyone's lips since the shock defection of Fernando Alonso to McLaren, and of course, the rumours linking both Kimi Raikkonen and MotoGP star, Valentino Rossi, with the Maranello outfit.

"Everyone is talking about 2007 when we are at the start of the 2006 season and that is a bit funny," he said. But I'm calm.

"When I talk to the people here, Ross Brawn, Jean Todt and so on, they are all talking about 2006," he added.

Referring to Rossi, he added: "It is nice to see a driver coming from MotoGP but Formula One is very different. Everyone needs to gain experience in this sport and many of us started in karting when we were eight or 10 years old, he hasn't done that. He is undoubtedly a great talent but if he wants to come into F1 he needs some experience, like doing a year as a test driver. But he needs to make those decisions."