text: 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 cannot 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 cannot 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 .
target: 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 4th in the championship standings with 30 points .