Madonna di Campiglio Stefano Domenicali did his best to duck the issue but there can be little doubt that Felipe Massa has one season left to save his faltering Ferrari career.
Three times on Wednesday Domenicali, the Scuderia's affable and engaging team principal, was questioned about Massa's future and three times he declined to assure the Brazilian that his contract, which runs until the end of 2012, is set in stone.
Massa, who was denied the 2008 world title only by Lewis Hamilton's final-corner heroics in Brazil, looked a shadow of his former self last year.
Such was the authority with which his new team-mate, Fernando Alonso, subjugated him, such was the brutal manner in which Ferrari used banned team orders barely halfway through the year, that he ended the season devoid of confidence and motivation.
Questions persist over the head injury that ruled him out of the second half of 2009, as do rumours that Ferrari are lining up his replacement. Renault's Robert Kubica, a friend of Alonso's, is the name mentioned most.
Asked outright whether a season as dreadful as 2010 would be Massa's last, Domenicali said: "It would be wrong to say anything at the beginning of the season. I hope it will be close between them; that he will be as good, or maybe even faster than Fernando. But for sure we need two strong drivers to win the constructors' title."
Positive attitude
Domenicali added, somewhat disingenuously when one considers Massa's driving in the wake of the Hockenheim team orders debacle, that the Brazilian's attitude was beyond reproach.
"Felipe is a driver you can count on a lot. He has always shown well under examination and has convinced us that he will always react in a positive and motivated way. He knows he has the support of the team."
Massa's explanation for his form last year was that he did not get on with the Bridgestone tyres.
Formula One's move to Pirelli this season will remove that particular impediment and Domenicali said he was "confident" Massa would be back to his best in 2011.
"We need to analyse the situation race by race," Domenicali added.
"If you looked at last season in May, and then looked again in Abu Dhabi, it was a very different picture. So we do not make decisions like that [Massa's future] now. We need to see how the season goes first."
Pirelli may be decider
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali believes the switch to Pirelli tyres for 2011 could have a fundamental impact on the Formula One season.
The Italian company has returned to the sport for the first time since 1991, replacing Bridgestone, but the restrictions on testing mean it is a race against time to get the tyres ready for the opening race in Bahrain on March 13.
"On the rear tyres there are still some steps to be done. Due to the time we also haven't done tests with wet tyres," Domenicali told a news conference at a ski retreat.
"We need to thank Pirelli, without them we would be running on rims."
Domenicali is hoping for rain during the first pre-season tests in Valencia from February 1-3 to see how the tyres react in the wet.
Pirelli have said they hope their tyres can help create more of a spectacle than last season.
"This year, qualifying should not be as important as it was last season," Domenicali said.
"Last season was very interesting and competitive but there wasn't a lot of overtaking. This is a fundamental aspect which must be worked on."
