MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO, Italy, Jan 10, 2008 (AFP) - Ferrari pair Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa talked up their 2008 title chances at a joint Ducati-Ferrari press event here on Thursday.

Reigning champion Raikkonen is aiming to keep his feet on the ground and stay motivated in his attempts to win back-to-back titles.

"The title hasn´t changed me. I have achieved what I wanted in my life but it hasn´t changed me as a person," he said.

If anything the Ice Man is expecting to be stronger than a year ago when he was new to the Ferrari team and took time to settle down into his new surroundings.

And he is not feeling any added pressure with being the world champion and racing with the coveted number one on his car this season.

"The new season will be slightly easier for me, being in the same team," he said. "We start the season at the same level. I don´t really mind being number one or not. I´ll do always my best."

Brazilian Massa is hoping to have a bit more luck this season than he did a year ago when he finished fourth after some inconsistent displays and mechanical problems cost him vital points.

He won three races and finished on the podium 10 times but still ended the season 16 points behind and 15 points behind McLaren pair Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

"I hope in 2008 to have a bit more luck and consistency than I did in 2007," he said Massa.

"The team worked really well as a group. I recognise that 100 per cent. If I had a chance to win the team did everything to help me.

"Last season I gave no less than Kimi. Until Monza (the Italian GP, the 13th of 17) I was ahead of him in the standings.

"That was the dreadful moment when I had a mechanical problem and the title slipped away from me.

"I had the potential to try to win the title."

Looking forward to the coming campaign, Massa believes the sport´s governing body has made some important changes that will make for more exciting racing, such as removing electronic aids on the start line.

"The starts will be more human. Now the driver will be in control, before it was the mechanics," said Massa.

"It will be different, we will have to learn to be softer on the accelerator."

And Massa is looking forward to another title scrap with Ferrari´s main rival.

"They are all good drivers and many have improved but it will still be a fight between Ferrari and McLaren."