{"id":1666,"date":"2017-07-02T14:42:59","date_gmt":"2017-07-02T18:42:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=1666"},"modified":"2017-07-02T14:42:59","modified_gmt":"2017-07-02T18:42:59","slug":"1666","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2017\/07\/02\/1666\/","title":{"rendered":"Felipe Massa looking to continue with Williams in 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Felipe Massa<\/strong> has revealed that he is open to continuing his long and distinguished Formula 1<\/strong> career into next year to drive for Williams<\/strong> for a fifth consecutive season.<\/p>\n

Felipe Massa looking to continue with Williams in 2018<\/h2>\n

Massa was not scheduled to be on the grid in 2017 after announcing his retirement at the Italian Grand Prix<\/strong> last year. Following the unexpected retirement of Nico Rosberg<\/strong> after he won the world championship over Lewis Hamilton<\/strong> at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Massa quickly found himself behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car again, with Valtteri Bottas<\/strong> joining Mercedes<\/strong> to replace Rosberg, leaving a vacant seat at Williams.<\/p>\n

So far in 2017, Massa has secured 20 points in the first eight races of the season, and narrowly missed out on a podium and a potential race win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix one week ago following a mechanical failure while his team mate, Lance Stroll<\/strong>, finished in third.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Formula1.com<\/a>, Massa said:\u00a0\u201cI am enjoying it more. It was a big decision to carry on, but once you have taken up that new challenge it also makes you happy. I am with a team that likes and respects me a lot \u2013 and they listen to me. That all makes you happy, and that is what you see.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if he would like to continue driving into 2018, the Brazilian said:\u00a0\u201cMaybe, yes. I mentioned that some weeks ago, yes. Things are going well. I feel very competitive, as I like the car that I am driving. I love the new rules. For my driving style everything works very well.\u00a0The only thing that has to be sorted out is the \u2018luck issue\u2019! So I don\u2019t see any point not carrying on.\u00a0But I am not in a hurry,” he admitted. “I enjoy my situation race by race, and then the time will come to make the talking. I am sure it will not take long.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his career that started in 2002, Massa has enjoyed successful stints at Sauber<\/strong>, Ferrari<\/strong>, and now Williams, having secured 11 wins, 41 podiums, and almost becoming world champion in 2008, being defeated by Lewis Hamilton by a single point.
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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n