Felipe Massa: Williams driver to retire at end of the season
Last updated on .From the section Formula 1
Felipe Massa is to retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season.
The Brazilian intended to quit F1 at the end of 2016 but returned to Williams after Valtteri Bottas moved to Mercedes following the retirement of world champion Nico Rosberg.
Massa, who has won 11 grands prix, says this time his decision is final.
The 36-year-old's decision was influenced by the fact he wanted certainty on his future before his home grand prix next weekend.
"I agreed to return this season to help Williams when the call came," he said.
"I have now enjoyed four great years with the team, but my career in Formula 1 will finally come to an end this season."
He originally said he wanted to continue racing in F1 in 2018 but Williams are not yet ready to finalise their driver line-up for next year.
Massa, who achieved his biggest successes for Ferrari, added: "I take so many great memories with me as I prepare for my final two races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, and although they will be emotional, I am looking forward to ending on a high note and preparing for a new chapter in my career."
Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams said: "I would like to thank Felipe for all he has done for the team over the last four years. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with him.
"We are especially grateful that he agreed to postpone his retirement from F1 for a year, after Valtteri joined Mercedes, which demonstrated the depth of the relationship we built during our time together.
"We appreciate that it wasn't an easy decision for him to return, after having such an emotional send-off at the end of last year. On behalf of [owner and team principal] Sir Frank, and all the team, we give our very best wishes to Felipe for the future."
Williams are strongly leaning towards giving the seat alongside Canadian rookie Lance Stroll to Robert Kubica, who has not raced in F1 since suffering life-changing injuries in a horrific rally crash in February 2011.
But the team are taking their time to make their decision because of the length of Kubica's absence.
He has only partial movement and atrophied muscles in his right arm and although the 32-year-old impressed Williams in two tests last month, there are inevitably unanswered questions as to whether he is strong enough to do a race distance at full pace on the toughest tracks.
Their reserve driver Paul Di Resta, Sauber racer Pascal Wehrlein and Red Bull reject Daniil Kvyat are also options.
Massa's worldwide admiration
Massa made his debut in F1 in 2002 for the Sauber team but enjoyed his greatest period of success after joining Ferrari in 2006, initially as team-mate to Michael Schumacher in the seven-time champion's final season for the team before his first retirement.
Massa came close to winning the world title in 2008, losing out only when Lewis Hamilton moved into the fifth place he needed to overhaul him on the last corner of the last lap of the final race of the season.
Massa won the race, the Brazilian Grand Prix, and his dignity on the podium as he battled the conflicting emotions of a home victory and losing the championship won him worldwide admiration.
He never achieved the same success again.
Ferrari were less competitive in 2009 and at the Hungarian Grand Prix that year he suffered a fractured skull when he was hit by a suspension part from another car.
He returned for the 2010 season but his new team-mate was Fernando Alonso, who proved far superior and soon came to dominate the team.
Massa stayed with Ferrari until 2013 as a support driver to Alonso before joining Williams in 2014.
Comments
Join the conversation
Good luck for your future life, Felipe.
A bit of a dim wit and not very good no great loss
----
You don't need to put yourself down on HYS. Be positive about yourself and who knows what you might achieve.
The HYS is about Massa.
Nobody wins 11 races and achieves 40 odd podiums by good luck alone. He would have been a worthy champion in 08' and I thought he handled defeat with great dignity and class.
5 minutes ago
thank goodness, overpaid, over rated, under performing. being a 'nice' guy gets you nothing. long overdue news. must be one of the most unsuccessful drivers ever. quite a record to take away
You really must stop talking about yourself MrSaturdayNight.I would rather spend Saturday in his company than yours.He a far better man than you ever will
I enjoyed some of the fights he had with Ham but since his injury did not seem to be so consistent.
That said, I wish him well for the future.
What a boring and uninformed troll you are.
Massa’s 11 wins - better than James Hunt, Jody Scheckter, Ronnie Peterson and Jacks Ickx to name but a few.
Go back to pulling the wings off flies, why don’t you?
Lucky to be alive after that horror accident. Big cajones to come back, although I don't think he came back at quite the same level.
Second, the remainder of your comment is total verbal diarrea. Massa might not have been able to outdrive the top 3 or 4 in the last couple of years but he was never far from front
Now take your crayons and go finish your homework - you need lots of help - lots
Anyone who understands the sport appreciates your contribution. Hope you enjoy whatever the future has in store.
--------------------------------------------
100. Posted by David Hughes
on
26 minutes ago
Who cares? Not me.
---------------------------------------------
If you don't care why take the effort to post????