Even if Ferrari's drivers start the Formula One season on equal terms, it is Kimi Raikkonen who has the No 1 on his car and Brazilian Felipe Massa the No 2.

Massa hopes to reverse the positions this year but he will have a job to prevent Raikkonen building on his championship success.

The Sao Paulo driver had a great opportunity to take the title last season, when Raikkonen was new to the Italian team and still finding his way as Michael Schumacher's replacement, but Raikkonen will be harder to beat now.

Massa put up a good fight but his luck deserted him at the crucial point in 2007 and, ruled out of the reckoning, the 26-year-old ended the year helping his teammate to become Finland's third world champion.

Though there are still plenty of people backing his chances to take the title in 2008, it will be harder now that the "Iceman" has settled in.

"There is always an advantage when you win something, as happened to me when I won my first race," Massa said at the end of January.

"But from a performance point of view we are equal. To become world champion you need everything, including luck, and he had more than I did.

"But this year I feel strong and motivated as ever because I know I have everything I need to fight on level terms."