Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa believes Sebastian Vettel's inability to return the title to the Scuderia during his tenure was because the team was never 'completely perfect'.
Vettel and Ferrart will part ways at the end of this year, and while the German still has final chance to deliver a world crown to the House of Maranello, his shortfall in that regard since 2015 is often linked to the abundance of mistakes that have undermined his efforts.
But Massa - who missed the title by a single point in 2008 - insists that for all the talent employed by Ferrari since its last championship-winning year, it hasn't always fielded a team or car capable of winning.
"You cannot forget that the last time Ferrari won the [constructors'] championship was in 2008," Massa told Sky F1.
"It's true that many good drivers [were] passing through the team and were not able to win. Including after 2008 I was there, and we never had really the car or the team to win.
"Fernando [Alonso] definitely made an incredible job in 2010. He arrived really on the limit fighting for the championship. But maybe, to be honest, the car was not able to win in that year. In my opinion, he did an amazing job.
"All of the drivers that are passing there [since] - Sebastian, Kimi [Raikkonen]- were not able to win because the team was not completely perfect to win the season.
"So it's not only related to Sebastian. Sebastian did many great races, he won many races or he fought [for them], and he was always in front of his team-mate - even a good team-mate and champion like Kimi."
Massa admitted that the balance at Ferrari underwent a shift last season, following the emergence of Charles Leclerc.
"Maybe last year things changed a little bit," added the Brazilian.
"We can't really forget what Charlie did. He's a driver I'm watching since karting and he showed that he's really a big talent and can be a champion or can be a top driver in whatever team he raced.
"[Sebastian] had some pressure inside and maybe that also was [which led to] some different decision that Ferrari took in front of them."
With few reasonable options on the table for Vettel to remain on the grid in 2021, Massa wouldn't be surprised to see the four-time world champion sail into the sunset.
"Now if he will stay in Formula 1 or not is another question," said Massa.
"Sebastian is a driver and a guy who is always very focused on what he wants. So I'm not surprised that maybe he decides even to stop.
"Definitely, in his position, to stay, he needs to find a team that gives him the opportunity, or maybe the talks or the ideas, that he's sure that, 'OK, it's good to stay'.
"Otherwise. I'm not sure he will stay [in F1]."
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