Massa insists he wants a decision on his future before the Brazilian GP, and he has implied that the team's dilemma over its second driver for 2018 may not be based solely on who can do the best job in the cockpit.

He has previously made it clear that he doesn't want the process to be dragged out, as he would prefer that the team made an early commitment to him if it wants to keep him.

Massa believes that the engineering staff of the team supports him, but hints that they may be overruled by other considerations.

"To be honest, we are discussing with the team, and the team knows 100 percent my points to stay another year," Massa said.

"I was always a professional driver, and I stay and I will finish as a professional driver, like I started my career. And that's the most important thing for me. The team knows what I can give to the team.

"I would say definitely I have all the people that understand about motor racing on my side inside the team – engineers and everything. That's what counts for me.

"Then you have some other decisions which are not depending on the talent of the driver, or what you can give to the team on the driving point of view. This is not up to me to say anything."

Asked if he meant that elements in the team management did not want to keep him, he said: "I'm just saying what I know, what I believe, and definitely it's not the engineers who decide.

"The people in the management, they have their own way to decide, which hopefully is in the right direction as a top team, a good team."

Massa is adamant that he would be able to do a good job next season.

"I know what I give, I'm totally motivated to carry on another year. I'm staying if the team really wants to have me as a professional side, like I've always been in my career.

"That's the most important thing for me. And I'm quite relaxed. If I stay here next year, I'm sure I will do the best I can to give the best to the team, like I did a lot.

"But if not I'm relaxed to find the different way of my life as well. For sure I will not wait until December.

"I don't put a timeline, but I hope it will be in the next weeks. I don't want to arrive maybe in the last two races not knowing about my future. We'll wait and see what's going to be the decision, and I hope it will be soon."

Massa wants a decision before Brazil, where he made an emotional farewell last year at what was supposed to be his final home race: "It would be nice – I think it would be nice for everybody, even the team."