Brazilian Felipe Massa on Thursday scotched rumours that he is considering leaving Ferrari and said he hoped to stay with the Italian team until the end of his career.
Massa, 26, is in his second season with Ferrari and his contract takes him up until the end of 2008.
But there has been speculation he might move to Toyota next year in a drivers' reshuffle that would see reigning world champ Fernando Alonso take his place at Ferrari.
"It's impossible for me not to be at Ferrari next season because I have a contract that expires a year later," Massa said on the sidelines of preparations for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
"I hope to finish my career in this team, which is exceptional," he added.
Massa is fourth in the drivers' standings with three races to go. With 20 points between him and championship leader Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, most pundits see his title hopes as close to zero.
The Brazilian indicated that he would be willing, if necessary, to help Finnish team-mate Kimi Raikkonen pursue his own, more realistic, title hopes. The 'Iceman' is currently third, 13 points behind Hamilton
"If I no longer had a chance, I wouldn't mind helping him," said Massa, who has been tussling with Raikkonen for the top spot at Ferrari all season.
But he appeared to believe that this moment had yet to come. "The 20 points that separate me from Hamilton don't help but we can still be competitive".
Massa has won three races so far in 2007 and had five other podium finishes. But he has also scored zero points three times and his title hopes took a severe knock at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month when he was forced to retire with a mechanical problems.
"I don't want to talk about bad luck. I'm looking ahead and now there are three races in which I could still be in with a chance," he said.
