Paul Jeffrey
Premium
The Williams Martini Racing team have confirmed 35-year-old Brazilian Felipe Massa has postponed his retirement from Formula One to re-join Williams on a one-year deal, stepping in to replace the Mercedes bound Valtteri Bottas.
With 2017 set to be Massa's fourth consecutive season at Williams, the popular Brazilian will line up alongside Canadian debutant Lance Stroll in the new Williams Martini Racing FW40.
Speaking about the announcement Massa said:
“Firstly, I am very happy to have an opportunity to return to Williams. I always intended to race somewhere in 2017, but Williams is a team close to my heart and I have respect for everything it is trying to achieve. Valtteri has a great opportunity, given the turn of events over the winter, and I wish him all the best at Mercedes.
“In turn, when I was offered the chance to help Williams with their 2017 Formula One campaign, it felt like the right thing to do. I certainly have not lost any of my enthusiasm for racing and I’m extremely motivated to be coming back to drive the FW40. The support from my fans over the last few weeks has been a huge boost and I'm grateful for that. I also look forward to working with Lance; I’ve known him for many years and seen his talent develop during that time, so I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
“In turn, when I was offered the chance to help Williams with their 2017 Formula One campaign, it felt like the right thing to do. I certainly have not lost any of my enthusiasm for racing and I’m extremely motivated to be coming back to drive the FW40. The support from my fans over the last few weeks has been a huge boost and I'm grateful for that. I also look forward to working with Lance; I’ve known him for many years and seen his talent develop during that time, so I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal added:
“I’m delighted that Felipe has agreed to come out of retirement to be a part of our 2017 campaign. With Valtteri having a unique opportunity to join the current Constructors’ Champions, we have been working hard to ensure that an agreement could be made with Mercedes to give Valtteri this fantastic opportunity.
“Valtteri has been part of the Williams family since 2010 and in that time has proved a huge talent, securing nine podium finishes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him on behalf of the whole team, and wish him a successful season as he joins Mercedes.
“Felipe has always been a much-loved member of the Williams family, and having the opportunity to work with him again is something we all look forward to. He was always going to race somewhere in 2017, as he has not lost that competitive spirit, and it was important that we had a strong replacement in order for us to let Valtteri go. Felipe re-joining us provides stability, experience and talent to help lead us forward. He is a great asset for us."
Although a contract for just one season of driving has been agreed between driver and team, Massa has not totally dismissed the possibility of extending his career in Formula One past the 2017 season. When quizzed by the official Williams website on his new contract, Massa commented that he has not considered his future beyond 2017, stating "At present this is a deal for 2017 only and I have not thought beyond (2017)". With several high profile drivers out of contract at the end of this season, and a big shakeup of regulations possibility changing the pecking order of the grid, 2017 could be an important year for Williams to establish themselves as a top ranking team capable of challenging for regular podiums and wins in the years ahead.
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Do you think Massa has made the right decision postponing his retirement for another shot with Williams? Should the Grove team have taken a risk with a different driver? Will Massa be able to beat Stroll over the course of the season? Will this be the Brazilians final year, or can he earn a new contract? Let us know in the comments section below!
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