Felipe Massa believes he has finally silenced his critics following his storming start to the new Formula One season . Williams head of vehicle performance Rob Smedley claimed earlier this week he was seeing the best of the Brazilian in their nine years working together . After twice being written off in the past , initially following his life-threatening accident in 2009 and again when he left Ferrari at the end of 2013 , Massa appears to be a driver at the top of his game . Felipe Massa is preparing for the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend as he looks ahead to practice . Asked whether he felt he was driving better than ever , certainly compared to his title-challenging year in 2008 , speaking ahead of this weekend 's , Massa replied : ' I think so . ' 'The only thing you can not say ( on this occasion ) is we are fighting for the championship . 'We had maybe the top car in 2008 , and now we are the third team in the championship . 'But I feel really good and I am driving really well , using the car in the best way I believe I can . 'It 's nice to have that feeling and it gives you extra confidence . Brazilian Massa is confident he has silenced his critics following storming start to the Formula One season . The Williams driver says he is performing as good as he was in 2008 , a season he challenged for the title . 'The team is also working a lot for you , to understand and take in everything you say , to try to develop everything they believe is correct . 'It 's fantastic because the driver can not do anything alone . You need the whole group working for the best of the driver , and that 's really counting a lot for me . 'Maybe also , when many of you wrote after my accident that it changed completely my driving , maybe that 's not correct . ' Suggested to Massa he had been too easily written off , he said : 'It 's much easier to write than drive . ' Massa finished 5th at the Shanghai Grand Prix last week and currently sits 4th in the standings .
Felipe Massa says he is performing as good as he was in 2008 . The Brazilian challenged for the title seven years ago but finished 2nd . Massa has enjoyed a storming start to the new Formula One season . The Williams driver sits 5th in the championship standings with 30 points .