Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has said that he is "more motivated than ever" ahead of next season's Formula 1 championship.

The Brazilian's career at Ferrari looked to be all but over after a disappointing start to the 2012 season.

Massa rallied in the second half of the year though, picking up 97 points after the summer break and doing enough to secure a one-year extension with the team.

"This has been a very difficult year for me, especially at the start, when we couldn't find a way to move forward with the car," he told reporters.

"The second part was very different. I was more competitive and I managed to get back to the way I was before.

"Now I am more motivated than ever. The second part of the season was like a training session for next year."

Massa will continue alongside Fernando Alonso, who narrowly missed out on the world championship to Sebastian Vettel this season.