MONZA, Italy (AFP) - Felipe Massa should be excused if he prays for help from the local race stewards this weekend as he seeks a career-best Monza result in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

The sight of Max Mosley, president of the sport's ruling body the International Motoring Federation (FIA), in the Monza paddock Friday may well have given him reassurance.

Thanks to last Sunday's controversial decision by the stewards at Spa-Francorchamps to strip the winner Briton Lewis Hamilton of his win, Massa lies only two points behind the McLaren Mercedes driver in the title race.

But as the Brazilian seeks to complete an extraordinary hat-trick of 'gift-wrapped' victories following his triumphs at Valencia and Spa-Francorchamps in recent weeks, he will be fully aware that his best finish to date at Monza is ninth.

He managed to achieve this in 2005 and 2006. Last year, he retired after only 10 laps because of a rear suspension problem, but given his generous slice of good luck at the last two races will believe this Sunday's race could be his opportunity for celebrations.

Ferrari, after all, have a superior record at Monza to McLaren with nearly double the number of victories and pole positions. But it was McLaren who took a memorable one-two triumph home last year.

The statistics that will give Massa cause for confidence are: Wins - Ferrari 17, McLaren 9; poles - 18-9; fastest laps - 17-10; podiums 58-22; races led 35-19; laps led 1132-470; points 428.5-207.

But he will remember his own Monza record shows that he has taken part in five Grands Prix, never finished in the top eight, never scored a point or taken a pole and never recorded the fastest lap.

On statistics alone, he is a long way behind the man he usurped at Ferrari as a master of Monza.

Compatriot Rubens Barrichello will be running in his 16th Italian Grand Prix on Sunday with a record that shows two wins, one second and one third. He has finished eight times in the top eight and taken pole once and scored one fastest lap.

The only other previous winners in the field are last year's victor Spaniard Fernando Alonso, then with McLaren Mercedes, and Briton David Coulthard, also with McLaren.