Massa in, Maldonado out and Bottas stays at Williams in 2014

2014 F1 season

Posted on

| Written by

Felipe Massa will race for Williams next year, the team has announced.

Massa, who is set to leave Ferrari at the end of the season, will partner Valtteri Bottas in 2014.

“Williams is one of the most successful and important teams of all time in Formula One,” said Massa. “When I was a kid, I always dreamed about racing for Williams, Ferrari or McLaren and I’m glad to be signing with another icon of the sport following my time at Ferrari.”

“It is also nice to remember that some of the best Brazilian drivers raced for Williams and cemented a strong national link with the team. With such a major change of regulations in 2014, I hope my experience will be useful in helping the team in its effort to move on from a difficult period.

“Since my early days in motor racing, I don’t remember seeing so many new rules in a single season and I’m fully prepared to work with everyone at Grove to make sure we find the right direction. I’m highly motivated to start working hard from the very beginning in what is an exciting new challenge in my career.”

Frank Williams said Massa is “an exceptional talent and a real fighter on the race track”.

“He also brings a wealth of experience as we begin a new chapter in our story.”

Bottas is also being retained by Williams for a second season. “Valtteri is a valued member of the team and I’m pleased he was able to demonstrate his talent in tricky conditions in Montreal,” said Williams. “There is much more to come from him.”

Bottas has endured a difficult debut season with the team as the FW35 has been well off the pace. “I have faith in Williams and I know we can do so much better in the future than our current performance shows,” he said.

“I am looking forward to having Felipe as my team mate. He is a quick and experienced driver and together we will be pushing to the maximum to improve the car and get as many points as we can next season.

“We will be working throughout the winter to ensure we are ready for the challenge of 2014. I would also like to thank everyone at Williams, especially Frank, Claire and the senior management for their ongoing trust in me.”

Deputy team principal Claire Williams said Massa’s hiring was “part of a number of announcements we will be making over the coming weeks”.

“The stability of having both our drivers on multi-year contracts, Mercedes-Benz as our engine partner and a strong commercial base all contribute to the future success of the Williams F1 team,” she added.

The team thanked outgoing driver Pastor Maldonado, who is set to leave the team, “for his efforts and contribution over the past three seasons, in particular delivering the team’s Spanish Grand Prix victory last year”.

See the updated list of 2014 F1 drivers and teams

2014 F1 season


Browse all 2014 F1 season articles

Image © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

209 comments on “Massa in, Maldonado out and Bottas stays at Williams in 2014”

  1. Nice for him and Williams ! I think Felipe can get back to where he used to be once he leaves Ferrari. And Williams release themselves of the pain of replacing a front wing every fortnight !

    1. That being said… I’m terrified about the prospects of Maldonado joining the likes of Sauber or Lotus…

      1. If he replaces Nico at Sauber and Nico goes to Lotus it will be good.

      2. @fer-no65 Wanna bet on Maldonado going to Lotus?

        I´m happy for Massa. He is a great guy and deserve a chance to prove himself with out being push in to the number 2 driver roll… :D

        1. @celeste what are the odds?

          1. @fer-no65 with Lotus about to lose the 2nd place money (with Kimi that´s pretty much gone), I will said that it is pretty high…

          2. @celeste I believe that Grosjean has outscored Raikkonen recently, leading to Lotus closing in on Ferrari in the standings, but its right that Raikkonen has already amassed a huge amount of points which has helped.

          3. @clare-m95
            The point isn’t whether Grosjean is outscoring Räikkönen or not, but whether Räikkönen’s replacement is able to score good points. Lotus is 26 points behind Ferrari and 37 points behind Mercedes with two races to go. It’s very unlikely Grosjean (or Räikkönen) alone could gather that many points over their rivals.

            Given that most of the recent replacement drivers have performed very poorly, I’d say it’s almost certain Lotus won’t get any higher than 4th in the constructors’ championship.

          4. @celeste They never had second place locked up, especially with Kimi’s bad luck these past two races. Now with RAI gone, that just makes sure they’re locked in fourth.

        2. I think the odds for that one would not be all to favorable if one was to place a bet now @fer-no65 (meaning that what @celeste proposes is pretty likely to happen).
          This morning I read that Hulk is now working on either staying at Sauber or getting back in at FI. That would point to Quantum not quite being done and Lotus needing Pastor cash input more than a great line-up.

          1. @bascb @celeste

            I’m betting on it, then. I like the odds, even if they are against me.

          2. @bascb -That would point to Quantum not quite being done and Lotus needing Pastor cash input more than a great line-up.

            Of course, it’s Maldonado – not Hulk – who is a proven race winner.

          3. that is true @joepa, Maldonado certainly is not a “pay driver” but it certainly seems that Williams were not impressed with how inconsistent he is an with a lack of feedback.

            Hulk on the other hand was always praised for his great feedback, and especially in the last 1,5 years he has really been able to make good on any time the car did give him a chance to achieve anything.

      3. Sadly, Pastor joined Lotus…

    2. no, it wont be that bad. Maldonado is a fast driver, but with south American terperament. if he has a fast car, he goes good, if he has a slow car he goes bad. in a fast car he will show his talent like he did at Williams when the car was fast – in those moments he can be exceptional. he will only get one chance to prove it but, if he doesn’t perform at his next team his f1 career is over.

      1. He has had a fast car and gone bad in a huge number of occasions. Melbourne 2012, Valencia 2012, Monaco 2012… how many more?

        He can be exceptional once… and burst it 10 times after.

        1. @fer-no65 +1

          For all the pace his car had, he finished 15th in the championship behind cars inferior to his.

        2. What’s the old adage? You can teach a fast driver to stop crashing but you can’t teach a slow driver to go fast. Hulkenberg is a better bet than Maldonado obviously but I’ve got a feeling he would step up in that Lotus, just as Grosjean has done recently.

          1. @fer-no65 he has been significantly better in terms of the number of accidents he is having now, though. Spa was a bit stupid, but that’s about all I can recall besides his escapades in the first two rounds, when the car was a bit of a handful.

          2. @vettel1 with the current Willi, he doesn’t stand a chance to bin it in front of the others, or in front of the cameras, tho :P.

            We’ll see. Maybe you’re right, maybe not… wanna bet :P?

          3. I’ll take that up as our next season’s competition once he’s confirmed somewhere, sure @fer-no65 :P

          4. @vettel1 WELCOME TO THE “How Many Maldonados Can Maldonado Pull Off Next Season?” CHALLENGE 2014 !

            :P

          5. @debaser91 Romain Grosjean is a good example of a crash-prone fast driver who has become a power force after ironing his issues.

        3. @fer-no65 I don’t agree. He showed in Melbourne and Valencia he does have some serious pace, and although he wasted it both times, that can be corrected. Just look to Grosjean, who I felt was far more of a no-hoper than Maldonado: he’s been brilliant recently, so I see no reason why Crashtor couldn’t be beaten away with a stick to leave Pastor; the one who won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix brilliantly.

          1. @vettel1 at the time, it was “correctable”. Unlike Grosjean, he had a full season behind him, and nowadays, with almost 3 seasons at his back, I don’t think he can change that much.

            As you say, he did have some highs, Barcelona, Singapore and Abu Dhabi 2012 were very good. But he tends to throw it away… at this point, I think there’s no return… Hope I’m wrong, but…

          2. @vettel1 “He showed in Melbourne and Valencia he does have some serious pace” or “He showed in Melbourne and Valencia that the 2012 Williams had have some serious pace”…?

            2012 was an abject embarrassment for Maldonado/Bruno/Williams – with a car which was comparable in pace to to the Lotus they finished 7th in the championship.

            …Or are you taking out-pacing Bruno Senna as the sign of greatness?

          3. @mhop not Senna, but Sebastian Vettel. He out qualified him in Singapore, a feat Senna wouldn’t even come close to matching.

            Absolutely William’s 2012 was a failure though: that car should have finished at least 5th, I agree entirely. In the hands of two consistent drivers such as Räikkönen and Alonso, it could well have even reached the dizzying heights of 4th.

        4. i agree, i think Maldonado in 2012 could of had multiple podiums and regular points finishes but he was so short sighted during some races, the coming together with hamilton in valencia was madness and numerous others. the guy is fast but just doesnt think like a top driver, he will be in F1 next year though.

    3. @fer-no65 So this means Williams are strong with their finances, having lost the support of PDVSA… How are they going to survive 2014

      1. @noob The story is that MAS is bringing Petrobras money and supply, at the very least.

  2. Awesome news for both Massa and Bottas. Bottas definitely deserves another year at least, and I’m glad Massa isn’t leaving the sport as well. My question now is… Does that mean Maldonado is going to get the Lotus seat, or is he destined to go somewhere else rather than leave?

    1. Does that mean Maldonado is going to get the Lotus seat

      If so, @!*%€&? @!*% @!*% (essentially, many expletives of distaste towards Lotus).

      1. @vettel1 Whilst it’d definitely be interesting to see Maldonado there, it has still got to be Hulk. He’s pretty much the hot driver now, and if a seat is available at a top team, he’s surely got to be the first pick.

        1. Could not agree more, even as a fan of Maldonado’s @philereid.

        2. As much as I am happy that Felipe has secured a multi year deal at Williams, every passing day I am expecting with bated breath an announcement that the Hulk signed for that Lotus seat. Hope it materializes sooner @philereid.

          1. Is it a two or three year deal? Totally happy for Felipe and Valterri

      2. @vettel1 – Why is it that it’s okay for people to be disrespectful towards Maldonado, but not okay for them to be disrespectful towards Vettel?

        Seems like a double standard to me.

          1. @vettel1 – People get criticised for not respecting Vettel. But at the same time, it seems to be perfectly okay to abuse Maldonado.

          2. He’s probably referencing the way you are implying disrespect towards Maldonado in your post by arguing that Lotus are making such a bad decision to hire him. I like Hulkenberg as well well, and would love for him to get a top drive, but I think Maldonardo deserves to be in F1 equally. He was a GP2 champion in 2010 (finishing ahead of 6 current F1 drivers), is a race winner and is solid when the car is right.

          3. @prisoner-monkeys

            I don’t agree. He showed in Melbourne and Valencia he does have some serious pace, and although he wasted it both times, that can be corrected. Just look to Grosjean, who I felt was far more of a no-hoper than Maldonado: he’s been brilliant recently, so I see no reason why Crashtor couldn’t be beaten away with a stick to leave Pastor; the one who won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix brilliantly. @vettel1

            Are you being selective, as you are accusing me of yourself? I said the above on this very same thread.

            I personally don’t care how you think of a driver personally, only that you respect their merits objectively. In that case, Maldonado is a very fast, potentially great but inconsistent and crash-prone driver.

            @kibblesworth It was directed at Lotus, as I feel if Hülkenberg doesn’t get a top drive that is a massive travesty. He’s the best new driver F1 has had since Vettel.

          4. @vettel1 calling a driver ‘crashtor’ sounds like abuse to me, much like referring to Vettel as ‘finger boy’ regardless of wdc count

            There isnt an option for not respecting 4 wdc’s but a case remains that 4 world titles is a sizeable flattering of Vettel’s abilities. Vettel is making a mockery of ‘being at the right team at the right time’ – Vettel is the exception to the rule. Fangio for eg had a nouse to go to Maserati when they were coming good and won 5 wdc’s with no less than 4 different teams. Schumacher with a lot of time, made Ferrari right. Instead he could have had the chance to ‘break all the records’ ala Vettel and stay at bennetton in 96 and to bleed all the titles and wins he could out of the situation like Vettel is doing at Red Bull

            It is what it is – but statistics will never prove who was the greatest. All objective Formula 1 fans have taken note

          5. @me262 no less than “crash kid”, what that god of integrity Martin Whitmarsh called Sebastian Vettel in 2010 I believe. In both cases, it was partially just.

            I think the opposite: 4WDC is really a true reflection of how much better he is than those who are just solid front runners, not WDC material. I don’t think however two is indicative of Alonso’s ability, but I do think one is a fairly accurate reflection on Hamilton (note: that does not mean I think Vettel is four times better than Hamilton, but I do think he is fairly comfortably a better all-round driver).

            To be honest though, all drivers are egotists and just want to win. Schumacher saw he could win at Ferrari if he brought the Benetton workforce along with him, which he duly did. Vettel has reasoned that Red Bull is the best place for him at the moment, and who would have the audacity to blame him…

          6. @vettel1 consider this: in the history of F1, how long would you say would you say the top, championship winning car has remained at the top, on average? 2-3 years max? seems reasonable. What Red Bull have done for the last 4 years is well above average. This is exactly why Vettel’s 4 wdc are flattering

            kudos to red bull

    2. @philereid How about Maldonado + Hulk = Money + Talent… Keeping the nut out of course..

      1. Th nut might be better than the both of them. Dont get me wrong.. I’m a huge fan of the Hulk.. but there is no way the Hulk is miles ahead of Grosjean

        1. @todfod

          +1.

          With all due respect to Mr. Raikkonen, if I was LDM, I’d sign either Hulkenberg or Grosjean as Alonso team mate.

          1. No way. Raikkonen is a world champion, Ferrari needs WCC soon, they will get it with Rai + Alo next year no question about it. Those two are IMO the best drivers to get every inch of the car. I think Hulk is better than Grosjean at least he is doing great things in a poor car. Romain is in his third year (if not more) and he is doing good now cause Lotus swtiched all they had to help him, that’s not a WCC driver material at all, where was he during the first part of the season ? nowhere. With Alo + (Gro or Hulk) Ferrari will be years away of the WCC, with RAI + ALO I can bet my house they will have the WCC next year.

      2. @noob The nut as you describe him is out of the hut and has made the cut . But, I am not so sure of Mr Pastor’s gut (His overtaking seems a bit too dangerous) . Tut tut ..

  3. He should have bowed out of F1 gracefully; there is little point doing a season or so with Williams as he is very unlikely to score points, let alone podiums (based on Williams performances this year).
    It’s decisions like these that make people forget racing drivers.

    1. I haven’t forgotten Barrichello ..

    2. The same could be said of Barrichello when he went to (then) Honda. A few years (and team name change) later, World Constructors’ Championship winner.

      1. Actually, apart from their early season slump and disqualifications, BAR (as Honda was still known as at that time) had a pretty decent end to 2005 with Button, after a splendid 2004. Barrichello wasn’t the only one who thought he’d have a chance at winning races with Honda.

    3. Williams are indeed having their worst-ever season, but let’s not forget that last time they had their worst-ever season (2011) they bounced back to win a race the following year. Sure, to expect Felipe to win with Williams is a bit optimistic, but I certainly believe he can do more than merely make up the numbers.

    4. @xjr15jaaag I think that’s impossible to tell. They could get lucky with next year’s car and be competitive. I still think Williams could’ve (and should’ve!) been much more competitive last year. That car was able to deliver solid points finishes, it’s just that the drivers weren’t.

      But with things changing next year there’s always a possibility that they get lucky (though I’ll agree that the odds are against them).

    5. Chris (@tophercheese21)
      11th November 2013, 16:02

      based on Williams performances this year

      To be fair, we were saying at the beginning of this year that we expected Williams to be challenging for podiums and wins again based on their form from last season… And look how that turned out.

      I guess we’ll just have to wait and see… Who knows, they could be up the front again. I hope they are more competitive next year.

      A competitive Williams = Relatively healthy Formula One

    6. petebaldwin (@)
      11th November 2013, 16:13

      Totally disagree. Leaving now wouldn’t be bowing out gracefully in my opinion.

      People have an issue with pay drivers because they only got their seat due to money but for me, Massa position was even worse. Atleast pay drivers race. Massa existed solely to help Alonso.

      In the last few races where he’s started to fight for himself, it’s become apparent that he still does have the pace he used to have it’s a shame that Ferrari have robbed us of the chance to see Massa in full fight for all fo these years.

      He has a chance now with Williams to prove all the doubters wrong and show why he deserves a place in F1 because ignoring the last few races, it’s hard to argue that he does.

      1. I just have a really bad feeling about this

      2. Massa existed solely to help Alonso ?!?!

        NO ! You’re wrong mostly. This means, partially, you’re right. Massa couldn’t prove he’s another Schumacher, Raikkonen…. Alonso… so that’s why he was placed in the “2nd horse”. Maybe, without some favouritisms towards Alonso, the points score at the end of the season would have been: 25 points more for Massa, and 25 less for Alonso. BUT, even so, the difference is still too big to change things. Overall, Alonso is definately a better driver than Massa. If you wanna win any of the champs, who would be your 1st choice ?? Don’t tell me… Massa. Then, how much did he help Alonso, 3-4 times max/season, and they swapped places like P5-P10 ?!?! I don’t think that’s much help for a driver that was settled just to help the NO.1 driver !!!! Ferrari tried that TOWING manoeuver more times, as another ex. How many times it succeed ?? 1 out of 5 ???! So, personally, I really fail to see that BIG HELP Massa brought to the team and Alonso. If Alonso would have been teamed up with a better driver, very probably he would have been the champ in 2012.

        1. @corrado-dub
          I think you missed his point. You’re right in that he hasn’t really been much help recently, but its difficult to really push yourself when you know that you’re there to help your teammate.

          Massa has definitely had a turn about of speed since he’s stopped worrying about keeping his contract with ferrari and has shown some decent pace. He may not be as good as Alonso (not as good as the drive who many consider to be the most complete in f1 – theres a shocker), but he’s plenty good enough to deserve his seat in F1, especially with the experience he has (remember he was mentored by the most successful drive in F1 history). I’d love to see what he can do again with a team behind him. Also Reading the interviews it sounds like one of the reasons he was hired is to be a mentor for Bottas, who else on the grid has the experience, and would be willing, to do that?

          1. Yes, I understand your opinion, but I think that’s a weak excuse and you’re exagerrating (his 2nd pos role). Somebody who doesn’t know anything about F1, if reads some of the comments here, will more than sure understand that Massa was another MS, Senna, Clark, but he couldn’t make it BIG because the team told him not to finish in front of Alonso by any means. Reality is, it’s not the case almost at all. Massa finished most of the time many places behind Alonso. When Alonso finished 1 race on the podium, Massa finished 9th, for ex. How do you explain these many places between them ? Why Massa wasn’t on 4th, right behind ALO ?? Simple: because he just couldn’t do better. So, I really don’t fall for this theory of performing significantly worse than the team mate because he’s not racing on equal terms. Also, Ferrari dropped him because his game is too far behind Alonso’s and his contribution is minimal in the WCC. This is the main reason for being dropped.

        2. petebaldwin (@)
          13th November 2013, 10:18

          @corrado-dub

          You say that you don’t believe that Massa was performing significantly worse than Alonso because he was not racing on equal terms… How do you explain his sudden improvement in form? Haver Ferrari improved the car and Alonso is driving slowly?

          Ferrari have dropped him because they can get a better driver and they have realised that unless you have a car capable of dominating the field, their number 1/2 driver strategy won’t bring them Constructors titles.

          1. Massa always performed better in the last part of the season. This is 1 of the reasons that helped him in making Ferrari sign him the following season for years. Then, in 2007 and 2008 he raced on equal terms with Raikkonen and had a top car at his disposal. We know what happened: nothing special. If he was that good as many of you say, he should have trashed everybody on the race track. Plus, if I’m not wrong, after Schumacher, he has most (consecutive) years/races under Ferrari. Being present in the team before RAI and ALO, it’s an advantage. Spending a lot more years in the team compared to the aforementioned drivers, also an advantage ! Yet, he couldn’t make it BIG.

            Yeah, unless they have a top car, they can’t get the WCC. But we’re not talking about winning the WCC… but being 2nd. With that “questionable” car, ALO is still 2nd in the WDC. One must be nuts to ask more (points) from ALO while he’s racing with that car. Look at the WDC table: ALO = 2nd, Massa = 8th. Massa is the LAST driver from the top 4 teams ! Even GRO has more points ! Doesn’t that ring a bell to you, when with the same equipment, a driver is 2nd while the other is 8th ? You really think all this difference is down to the 2ND DRIVER POSITION ? I really don’t !

      3. Massa existed solely to help Alonso

        @petebaldwin if Ferrari’s over riding goal was to give alonso a championship why have they signed kimi? will kimi will exist soley to help Alonso next year? or have Ferrari changed their strategy? if they changed their strategy, why did they not give massa supposed equal treatment only to do so with a different driver? do Ferrari have the neccesary data from kimi in 2007-08 and massa to make that judgement? you would have to say so…maybe thats why they have put all their eggs on alonso in the last 4 years..

        1. petebaldwin (@)
          13th November 2013, 10:06

          Frankly, I think they have finally realised that their out-dated way of running a team is no longer bringing them race wins. If they are going to win the constructors again, they will need two drivers right at the front.

          Forcing one driver to give up grid positions, track positions and anything else that may aid the number one demoralises drivers and there can be no doubt that Massa has dramatically improved since he’s dropped the “number 2” mindset.

          By dramatically, I mean is comfortably out qualifying the great Alonso with ease fairly regularly. No one in their right mind is trying to say that Alonso isn’t better than Massa but it was Ferrari’s decision to extend Massa’s contract when that fact was already well know.

          Everyone obviously views it differently and that’s fine but it goes against the way I think F1 should be to have drivers sacrificing their existence in F1 to help another. That’s why I’m very much looking forward to next year where we’ll have 2 Ferrari drivers racing each other and Massa given a chance to race.

    7. And then BAM there is a repeat of 1993.

      1. distasteful.

        1. Isn’t he just referring to William’s pace in 1993, with Prost at the wheel?

        2. Well, he didn’t say 94….
          93 wasn’t a that bad year to call it distasteful.

          1. Apologies, wow I need some sleep.
            Hope their car is fast next year!

  4. If Hulk is going to Lotus, where could Maldonaldo possibly be going?

    1. Sauber maybe?

      1. And where will Gutierrez and Perez go?

        1. This is really turning in to a musical chair game…

        2. Gutierez stay at saucer, Hulkenburg to lotus and Perez at McLaren. If not he possibly be out of a seat. Else Gutierez might just make way for Perez, I would suspect depending on the depth of the pocket they bring with them.

          1. the second seat at sauber is occupied by sirotkin, remember?

        3. At this point, I think Telmex should be happy with having one underperforming driver in Formula One. Asking for two is just greedy.

    2. Potentially Force India, if Hulkenberg goes to Lotus then Force India could offer Maldonado the two-year deal they allegedly originally offered Hulk. I think either Sutil or di Resta may be out of a drive…

      1. Its apparently most likely to be di Resta out, since Sutil has connections to thee Mercedes engine, although I’m not sure how.

        1. sutil was already confirmed to be driving at FI next year im pretty sure

    3. DTM maybe?… No.

      1. Paul can try he luck there again. He could be world champ again.

        1. And then he can tell everyone that he’s a world champ again and how good he is..

    4. Well, Eddie Jordan said the following a few weeks ago after the announcement that Sirotkin is going to Sauber: Massa to Williams (check), Maldonado to Lotus and Hulk to Force India.

      He may be right after all…

      He did not know which driver at Force India would leave.

      1. Hoping Sutil stays and Paul goes somewhere else or in a reserve role.

        1. @gfreeman Hoping Sutil stays and Paul goes somewhere else or in a reserve role

          +1. Di Resta finally getting the comeuppance he deserves for publicly airing his dirty laundry w/ hammy Sr., for always slagging off his team and never taking much responsibility himself when things go wrong, for not doing enough to make things go right, for never performing to the level of hype that he himself encouraged…F1 would be better-off w/o his robotic, PR-speak (“I waaant tobe fightiiiing for Champiiiiionships.” gah!).

          1. Never taking much responsibility himself? Except the two times he crashed and immediately fessed up to his mistake on the team radio for us all to hear. You really are a sad little angry armchair expert aren’t you. Try supporting a driver or a team instead of hating one.

          2. Di Resta never took responsibility for Singapore. All he does is moan

          3. @dafffid I agree

            @foleyger even the team admitted there was a car failure there

          4. @joepa @foleyger So much hate… Do you know Paul personally? Or just basing your opinions on sound-bites? Sad little angry armchair experts?

          5. I base my comments on his interviews after sessions. He comes across as an individual rather than a team player. He takes credit for himself when things go well. Of course his team made mistakes, but to keep giving out, shows he is not a team player. He cud take a few lessons off Button. Button says ‘we’ a lot in his interviews. A clever driver

      2. That’s a stopped clock being right twice a day type scenario.

        1. @sharoncom

          Not sure – he was the first one to say that Hamilton was going to Mercedes. And he had a couple of other predictions that I don’t remember over the last few years. And I don’t remember wrong predictions.

    5. Away. Far, far away.

    6. The answer is: Maldonado to Force India, Hulkenberg to Lotus, and Perez to Sauber. For your information.

      1. I hope this is true @mhop!

      2. @mhop

        Sauber 2014 line-up
        Drivers: Perez + Gutierrez
        Reserve Driver: Sirotkin

        And could well rename the team Sauber Rent-A-Car Formula 1 Team

  5. Felipe will show strong form next season, I personally feel he was beaten and battered at ferrari and was in a chock-hold. Now he is free to fly, let us see what he can do. But I have strong faith.

    1. Felipe will show strong form next season, I personally feel he was beaten and battered at ferrari and was in a chock-hold. Now he is free to fly, let us see what he can do.

      @kwekuq – so Massa was like an abused wife? But he gotta divorce?

      OK, that’s one of the less politically-correct analogies…but still interesting

  6. Steph (@stephanief1990)
    11th November 2013, 15:14

    I think this will be great for Massa. He needs a new change and he’s a great team player. It’s a shame my favourite driver is now with my least favourite team but I still won’t have a problem cheering him on. I just hope they do a Brawn together…

    1. Why Is Williams your least favourite team?

      1. Steph (@stephanief1990)
        11th November 2013, 16:48

        @ardenflo they’ve just never been a team I’ve been able to warm to – it’s just a chemical thing, plus they’ve hired Stepney and Pastor both of whom I cannot stand but they have managed to get rid of one of them…

        @bascb that would be great! I’d honestly prefer they bagged Smedley though ;)

        1. Well Smedley is leaving Ferrari and the internet is full of rumours he’s off to Williams as well, although not as a race engineer but higher up.

    2. Maybe they can convince Ross to join in the fun too :-)

      1. Now THAT would be amazing. Hope he leaves Mercedes and gets Williams back on their feet. Bottas and Massa are strong drivers, that’d be a great combination given they have Symonds already!

      2. Perhaps that is what Claire is hinting @bascb?

        Deputy team principal Claire Williams said Massa’s hiring was “part of a number of announcements we will be making over the coming weeks”.

        1. @seahorse I don’t think so, that would be the Rob Smedley announcement. They might not be able to sign Ross until early next year.

          1. Thats what the guys on Sky were saying a few weeks ago…Ross and Rob to Williams…obvioulsy a guess…but you never know!

            Lets see what everyone says when Bottas beats Massa next year….maybe Williams will be favouring Bottas…poor Felipe, always the victim.

          2. Can’t they just announce RB but he’d be on gardening leave until his Mercedes contract is up?

  7. Fantastic news for Felipe. He is the right driver for them right now; they need someone reliable and consistent to pull the team forward.

    Is it even confirmed that Maldonado still has all that money behind him? Just a couple weeks ago we were hearing rumblings about Venezuelan money perhaps not being so easy to come by. If that turns out to be true, maybe Maldonado will simply be out of a drive. I wouldn’t mind that to be honest, because that leaves the Lotus seat wide open for Hulkenberg and a free seat at Sauber. I wonder who might fill that one?

    1. Fabio Leimer!!!

    2. Which free seat at Sauber? We have Gutierrez and Sirotkin there next year!

      1. That’s right, I forgot about Sirotkin. My apologies.

  8. next signing for Williams, I predict Ross Brawn. will 2014 be their turn around year? I doubt it. miracles don’t happen in f1 – though they did in 2009 for Honda, but unfortunantly they left the sport! – and Brawn took up the accolades – so actually maybe their is hope for Williams still in the modern era with this new formula next year and new signings to the team – and maybe Brawn will take the accolades again after 4 failed years at Mercedes after Brawn.

    1. next signing for Williams, I predict Ross Brawn.

      @dkpioe – so do you think Claire simply doesn’t want to be team principal, or she still does, but Sir Frank realizes she’s incompetent and will never be able to replace him (but Ross Brawn could?)?

    2. As far as I recall, that was a Mercedes Engine in the Brawn car in 2009, not a Honda – a major piece of surgery at short notice, making the chassis not-a-Honda too. The vital entire back end if the car was designed and constructed within 3 months and was brand new. It was then a Brawn car, with some faint Honda ‘notes’ There was no ‘Honda Miracle’ in 2009 – they left the year before.

      Can you see where I’m headed?

  9. I really like the idea of him racing there – a great guy in a great team.
    Also Massa showed in the last couple of races that there is still something left in him – remember Kimi was kicked out from Ferrari and look where he is now. A reboot is just what he might need and also with a little luck the reg changes will help Williams to get further up the field – they never wrapped their heads around the blown diffusor but they were pretty strong early 2012 when others struggled to get their coandas working.

    1. wow, this guy isn’t giving up yet! good luck for Massa next year. I do really hope he can recapture his performance, just like Rubens in Brawn.

    2. Exactly, and I really hope they get a better car next year!

  10. Could be a suprise package next year with Mercedes and Symonds onboard. With Massa’s experience and Bottas undoubted talent they have a great opportunity to progress up the midfield, good luck to them.

  11. I’m very happy for Rubens….

    1. Abdurahman (@)
      12th November 2013, 6:30

      HaHa, my thoughts too. The new Rubens

  12. “He also brings a wealth of experience as we begin a new chapter in our story.”..

    It shd have been ‘wealth AND experience’..HAHA!!!

    1. Hehe good one mate ‘

    2. “He also brings a wealth of experience as we begin a new chapter in our story.”

  13. Good news, many have doubts about him getting a drive after his Ferrari stint and i was one of them, great news for Williams too, i hope we can see another Felipe next year like the one we saw in the second half of 2012, he’s a very nice guy & i hope he can contribute to bring Williams with the top 5 teams next year (i know it is quite difficult but let’s hope)

  14. Good news for Massa, that is a good line up Williams have for 2014. If the Mercedes engine is as good as people think it is going to be, Massa and Bottas could be regular points scorers.

  15. This news made me very happy, two drivers that I like very much in one of my favorite teams. I hope Williams will build good car next season.

  16. Good news for Williams and I’m actually looking forward to see how Felipe performs in a team with much less pressure than Ferrari, surely he can only do better against Bottas than against Alonso.

  17. petebaldwin (@)
    11th November 2013, 15:58

    Good luck to Massa. With a team trying to help him achieve the best results he can instead of constantly sabotaging his efforts, I hope he can get some good results. He has shown in recent races how much Ferrari have held him back and it’s a real shame. He’s been forced out of Ferrari but it’s the best thing that could have happened to him.

    I really hope Williams get their act together and produce a decent car for him next year.

    1. @petebaldwin: With a team trying to help him achieve the best results he can instead of constantly sabotaging his efforts, I hope he can get some good results.

      isn’t that what Rubens was thinking when he joined Williams after being “sabotaged” at Brawn (according to him)?

      1. Rubens had terrible cars when with Williams, unfortunate but thats just a fact. I can’t help but feel that if Rubens or Massa had the 2012 williams they would have finished much higher up in the championship

        1. fair enough.

          i hope we can see felipe on the podium in 2014. a win would be dreaming too much (unless vettel was hopefully thrown in prison for child trafficking or something)…but if Pastor can win a GP, maybe Fortuna will help Felipe do the same, one more time!

          Why is Williams so far from the dominant squad (or at least competitive) that was JPM’s old team??

  18. Very happy for Massa and Williams. Hopefully with this new partnership both could recaptar some of their old glory. It also should be interesting to see Massa on a team that doesn’t treat him as the number two after all those years of second fiddle to Alonso. Just hope Bottas doesn’t get forgotten….

    1. recapture*

  19. I think this is great news. Felipe and Williams unfortunately have quite a bit in common – both are trying to get back to the top in F1, while many have written them off as being too far gone or desperately trying to recapture bygone glory days. I think Massa is a good fit. He’s experienced and highly motivated, and will hopefully be a huge asset in developing the 2014 Williams over the next season. The team needed someone like Felipe to help with the massive rule changes, and now they have him.

    I also think Williams will be great for Massa. He’ll be out of Alonso’s shadow and away from Maranello for the first time in almost a decade. It’ll be a breath of much needed fresh air for him. I wish both team and driver every success. It would be a real fairytale if Massa could get back onto the top step in a Williams.

    1. Steph (@stephanief1990)
      11th November 2013, 16:49

      @colossal-squid I couldn’t agree more

    2. or if he whistles past red cars in his williams.. that will be a sight to look forward to

      1. I too agree @colossal-squid with FM and Williams being a mutually good fit for each other except that I wouldn’t have categorized either FM nor Williams as too far gone nor desperate.

        1. @Robbie My apologies if I wasn’t entirely clear. I’m not saying in any way that I believe that Massa or Williams are too far gone or desperate, but I think it’s fair to say that there are some who would have that opinion. Massa in particular has been ridiculed quite a lot in recent seasons, and many have forgotten how good he once was, and I hope he can be as good again.

          1. @colossal-squid Fair comment and I think it is I who owe you the apology. Re-reading your post you clearly say…’while many have written them off…’ I should have been able to figure out that it was not your opinion. Sorry about that.

          2. Hey no worries!

  20. So, do all brazilian drivers have to end their carreers at Williams?

    1. Not Senna Jr. or Lucas Di Grassi

      1. Bruno more than likely will have finished his F1 career with Williams

  21. Nice, I really support this move. Its a great smart move for Williams. Massa’s talent maybe hadn’t faded, but with a teammate such as Alonso with Ferrari backing Alonso only; it was time for a change. I hope Massa can stretch his legs at Williams as a firm No. 1 driver and push the team forward.

  22. This is a great news for Massa and Williams. I hope this partnership lasts at least for another few years and that Massa & Bottas bring this team forward.

    So So glad that Massa got a drive for next year

    1. it’s so nice to see how much positivity there actually is towards Felipe. he was criticized pretty relentlessly on these F1Fanatic pages, but it would seem many folks actually have a soft spot in their hearts for him.

  23. This is news I have been waiting to hear. It is an excellent opportunity for a deserving driver and team. Nice going Massa! The next bit of news I’d like to hear is that Ross will be coming over from Mercedes. With Williams powered by Mercedes for 2014, it will strengthen the relationship provided he leaves without hard feelings.

    Now, on to COTA for the end of the V8 era.

  24. I first read that Bottas out and – as a Finnish F1Fanatic – I almost got an heart attack.

    This is good news for Valtteri. No one really knows how good Maldonado is, but now he has a team mate, who has raced alongside Alonso. Valtteri can prove himself next season as we now how good – or bad – Massa is (this season has matched Alonso in qualifying, on average 3 positions behind on race day) and thus we can kind of compare Bottas to a world champion. And if Massa beats him? Well, at least he got his shot.

  25. So, that means another year of Massa-Smedley? :D

    1. good question. that’s really an interesting aspect that i wish was being clarified. does smedley have a contract w/ Ferrari independent their association w/ Massa? You’d think so… And would Massa even want him to come along – or would he even want to go? Maybe Massa needs a change of race engineer, too, to one w/ no history of having to (regrettably, even) tell Felipe to let Fernando through…

    2. @paeschli It looks like they will be in the same team. The question is if Rob will still be a race engineer. I suspect he’s due a bigger role.

  26. I seriously hope that maldonado goes to lotus and Hulkenberg comes back to Force india for next season,being a Force india fan I can be that much selfish.

  27. Michael Brown (@)
    11th November 2013, 17:05

    Happy for Massa. This is going to be the best lineup for Williams in recent years.

  28. I have stong hope for Williams next year, I really hope they come up with a good car with Massa helping to develop it, fingers crossed that they get Ross Brawn on board too. Starting to get excited for 2014 already

  29. Maldonaldo to Lotus appears to be a done deal then…..
    It’s the only move that’ll actually makes sense.

    1. With Maldonado’s money being tied up in scandal at home, I doubt Lotus would take him without certain guarantees.

  30. With Maldonado’s ego and uncertain financial future, I doubt that we will see him in F1 next year. He seemed incapable of admitting his mistakes publically, and this probably didn’t sit well with Sir Frank, who is a true sportsman. Bottas will now have his work cut out for him, teaming up with a near world champion, but Massa has shown that he can be a team player par excellance. Next year is really shaping up to be interesting!

  31. I am sooo happy my favourite driver has found a seat. With Smedley and Brawn joining, I think Williams could be good next season. I would also like to thank Frank for not keeping a talentless driver with tons of money. Forza Felipe.

  32. As much as I’m happy for Massa Getting the Williams drive, I’m having a sinking feeling that Hulkenberg will again be in a mid field team battling for lower end points instead of podiums . I wish Hulk had a great luck and he bagged a seat in top end team which he deserve .

    I also heard few days back that Smedley is also going to Williams, so we might not miss Smedley- Massa radio conversations. :)

    1. It’d be the icing on the cake if the Smedley-Massa bromance could continue! However I’ve read rumours that Smedley would be getting some kind of promotion if he joined Williams, so we’d probably miss the radio conversations.

      As for Hulkenberg, I’d be relieved just to see him on the grid next year. It’s a sad state of affairs when one of the biggest young talents in the sport is in jeopardy of being pushed out, or at the very least having his progress to a quicker car or a bigger team being impeded by a lack of money and sponsorship.

      1. I think Eddie Jordan said it right when he said Hulk to FI, Massa to Williams and Maldonado to Lotus. Lets wait and watch where does Hulk go.

        As for Massa and Smedley bromance, yes it will be missed but then we have got Seb and Rockky.. :)

  33. Everything hinges on the Quantum deal. If the money arrives at Lotus, they’ll sign the Hulk and Maldonado will take his money to F.I. If not, Maldonado will go to Lotus and that leaves the Hulk in a tricky situation – Sauber aren’t paying him, and I doubt F.I. are awash with cash either. Stick or twist?

    The kicker is what’s happening at McLaren – it sounds like Perez is out on his ear, and there’s plenty of others in the midfield who would court his money. Sauber are cash-strapped but don’t see him stepping back there. A Sirotkin-Gutierrez partnership will have dire consequences for their performance, but I’m not sure where else they’ll get money from – Sutil to partner the young Russian, perhaps?

    Have a funny feeling that both Sutil AND di Resta will be left without seats when the music stops, with the Hulk and Perez in next year’s Force Indias.

    1. both FI drivers out, that’s what I thought

    2. With Hulk and Perez in next year’s Force Indias

      Now that’s an interesting battle!! And the winner takes the Ferrari seat for 2015 hehe.

      1. Never thought of FI ditching both drivers… Plausible, tbh.

    3. Definitely could happen, and the Sauber seats would come down to who’s willing to pay the most cash, the Russians, the Mexicans, or Sutil for one seat as runner-up.

  34. This is good news for both Massa and Williams (who continue their strong link with Brazilian drivers). I’m really glad he’s staying in F1 because he deserves to, and the Massa-Smedley partnership can continue! Williams will get a nice amount of cash from Petrobras returning and others so it’s a good deal.
    It’s also a big year for Bottas. I feel he needs to step it up a bit because his race pace so far has been disappointing for someone with so much expectation from the team.
    I don’t think Maldonado should have trouble getting a seat with his sponsorship and speed (often overshadowed by his clumsiness).

  35. Good decision by Williams to retain Bottas and hire Massa which provides a better chance for Massa to prove himself unlike in Ferrari. Congratulations and best wishes to all involved for the next season. Btw, reading between the lines of Claire’s statement, I infer Brawn is on his way to Williams.

    1. Or……Daimler Benz acquire majority share in Williams, they like acquiring technology companies and might like the RBR/STR model.

      1. That would be interesting. It does sound like something is afoot. Anyways, I’m especially glad Bottas is continuing at Williams. Good move on the part of Williams to sign an experienced driver like Massa for 2014 with the many reg changes. Sure wouldn’t mind seeing Brawn at Williams too.

      2. Where will it leave FI? I thought that FI was the Mercedes B-Team. Or, will they become McLaren B-Team in 2015 with Honda engines??

      3. That could certainly work. Lets see if Bird is their third driver next year, or someone like Juncadella. I always wondered if Williams would return to Honda engines after 2015 if Honda want more than one team…

  36. massive news. bottas will learn a lot from Felipe, wish them all the best. Next obvious question is where will pastor and his pdvsa millions end up.

  37. i believe that’s a correct move from both Williams and Massa. maybe he is not competitive enough to fight for wins or titles any more (but who knows what happens at Ferrari, and why they kept him for such a long time despite his seemingly low performace level. conspiracy ftw?), but more than capable of leading a midfield team out of their crisis. it’s an awesome opportunity for Bottas to learn everything he can from an experienced and relatively successful driver (i hope he didn’t learned too much from Maldonado…), and it is fine to see that Williams can afford itself not to have paydrivers (or does Massa bring in some Brazilian background?) meanwhile signing with Mercedes too. a very promising line up, can’t wait to see them next year

  38. This was speculated for long, yet it comes as a surprise for me, and not a welcome one at first. Mainly because I’ve never really liked Williams, although their lack of success recently has helped them a bit in my rankings, but most probably because this ratifies the end of the Ferrari-Massa partnership. One that was announced, but one part of me hoped he left the sport, or returned to Sauber, to remain linked with them, whilst the other part hoped he could get the best possible seat.
    Massa has only raced Ferrari-engined vehicles in F1, although his Saubers were branded as Petronas.

  39. How can people even be happy with this, if he cant finsh ahead of slower cars etc in a Ferrari what makes you think he will bequick in an evem slower car he will be beaten by Bottas no doubt(who i dont rate by the way), why does he deserve Williams, he has raw speed no doubt. Yet goes backwards in races he always holds people up aswell look at Suzuka his 1 goal was to hold Alo up, Alo got past and Massa just went back and back and back and back and back…

    1. he will be beaten by Bottas no doubt(who i dont rate by the way)

      Your about the only one who doesn’t, Everyone at Williams have been raving about how good Bottas is since his st test with them & a number of other teams have also been hugely impressed with him.

      1. If Bottas is what they said then how come he as not detroyed Mal, we were told this kid was mega. If your WCmaterial you should be beating Mal convincingly

    2. Bottas is basically Kimi mk.II. He even shortens the corners in the same way as Kimi is a master of weight transfer. Both two very efficient drivers.

  40. Now I think of it, it’s very fitting for it to be announced today, after Felipe’s goodbye ceremony with Ferrari. It’s like yesterday was the end of an era and today is the start of a new one, without any speculation on his future.
    And although he says:

    When I was a kid, I always dreamed about racing for Williams, Ferrari or McLaren

    I think he honestly meant what he said yesterday, which was so similar:

    When I began racing in go-karts as a kid, I had a red Ferrari suit and it’s always been the team I supported.

    I just think he’s being nice to Williams and he surely is grateful to them, but Ferrari will always have the biggest part in his heart. He surely dreamed to be in F1, possibly in the top teams, but he really only supported Williams. And he’s saying Williams aren’t that bad a choice once Ferrari is out of consideration. He’s not lying and saying they are his favourite team, but I think that’s remarkably sincere.

  41. I’m disappointed to see that what was once a famous racing team has been reduced to a retirement home for under-performing South American drivers.

    1. Hmmm…quite the pessimistic outlook. I would suggest that Williams is still famous. My initial thought is then, what makes a team famous? And I suppose I’ll default to WDC’s of which their last one was via JV in 97….16 years ago, which is how long Ferrari’s WDC drought had been going on when MS joined, at which point it took 5 more years. Were Ferrari ever considered once famous, or a retirement home? I at a minimum think Williams always has the potential to at least improve over their previous season, especially in this case with the new regs, a Merc in behind, and FM’s experience. There’s always hope….must be…otherwise Williams and many many others (teams and drivers) would have packed it in long ago with no sponsorship hopes whatsoever…yet they’re here…funded….supported…loved and respected by many.

  42. Deputy team principal Claire Williams said Massa’s hiring was “part of a number of announcements we will be making over the coming weeks”.

    If Ross Brawn moves there, that’ll be fabulous.

  43. I don’t think Maldonado is actually that bad, people just think that because of the money he brought when he came in and his erratic first season. The Williams that he’s been driving has been dreadful, and he somehow managed to win in it last year.

    Happy for Massa though, looking forward to seeing how he does.

    1. I agree, Maldonado is crash prone but bloody fast, a bit like a modern Montoya

      1. I’m pretty sure Montoya had more impressive drives than run-ins with R.Schumacher and more wins, not to mention a title challenge in his 3rd year. Granted, those Williams were better cars, but his overall performance at Williams was a lot more solid than Maldonado’s.

        If anything, Maldonado is a modern ‘Ralf Schumacher in 1997’, talented, but erratic and too crash-prone for his own good. For 3 years now.

      2. @paeschli yes but being fast at crashing your car doesn’t help your team. He was barely better than bottas…

  44. Truth be told, I’ve been utterly disappointed with Massa ever since late 2010. He had his ups, I can’t deny that. But overall, he never seemed to be able to make Alonso’s life difficult, and wasn’t given a go by Ferrari, which is still surprising compared to the amount of support he received. Not to mention, Ferrari are a lot happier about Massa finding another seat in F1 than any of their previous drivers ever..

    Still, inherently I like Massa. He practically removed Raikkonen from his pedestal (if not just in my eyes, in general) in 2008 with his amazing year, which wasn’t really a fluke. He’s had some good qualifying performances this year, which is promising. Let’s see what he can do in a Williams. I would have preferred a young driver take his place in F1, but Massa isn’t the worst to keep around and he hasn’t been as bad as 2011 or early 2012 lately.

    1. After Raikkonen’s announcements about not being paid, imagine what his autobiography would be like… I wonder if it would contain insights into 2008.. But I can equally see him not bothering to write one!

  45. Good for Massa, good for Williams.
    Now assuming 2014 is the ‘jockey’ year with the lower weight limit.

  46. While I’m happy to see Massa stay in f1, he’s now getting up there in the years and there is a lot of young guys wanting a chance that they will never get if so-so drivers stick around. Not to say that he’s bad but since his wreck he hasn’t had that knife-edged mind that you need to be a winner. Let a future star have a shot.

    *Elders chime in to refute my remark of age-worthiness*

  47. What was Massa saying about only wanting to join a competitive team?

    1. It’s obvious from this and your other post on this topic that you don’t rate Williams very highly if at all…but in spite of you implying they’re no longer famous and are just a retirement home for Brazilians, at least they have longevity, a rich history in F1, and with the new regs and a Mercedes engine, there is potential for them to start on a path back to the podium. Not saying I’d bet the farm on it, but I would certainly give them the chance to prove themselves with the new format and FM. At least….isn’t it some surprises…a departure from the norm, that F1 is hoping for by introducing the new engine/chassis format?

  48. im just happy he’s got a drive, will be interesting to see how bottas compares to him

  49. first race of 2014 will be massa’s first being powered by a non-ferrari engine!

    1. Interesting stat Massa was always on Ferraris cradle.

  50. Hopefully Smedley not going to be his race engineer, that is also something what Massa will benefit a great deal of, a fresh surroundings and treatment.

  51. Why is it an assumption that Lotus is a better seat than Williams for 2014? I thought Williams would be better this year, but they had a lot of upheaval and turn over. It seems that they may be better sorted going into 2014. Lotus lost Allison and other key players and still hasn’t got their finances squared. The front runners will not be exploiting the exhaust gasses for downforce next year, so the advantage may swing to those who can get a handle on integrating the power delivery systems and the engineering talent at an outfit like Williams.

  52. What a shockr… *yawn*
    So Massa is off to the Brazilian refugee camp…. Frank Williams dseems to have a higher sense of guilt than I thought he had…
    Oh well… it´ll be fun watching Grosjean leaving pastor behind! Lol

  53. I hate how Massa can make this move look like a step up as if he wasn’t producing the goods. Above all what was wrong with him at Ferrari was Massa himself he mustn’t forget that, and also the fact that his sponsors will bring some money along.

  54. Great news for all parties I’d say, I really want Williams to get back to winning ways!

    Massa could do that so could Bottas I reckon.

  55. Good news for Massa, one of the more likeable drivers on the grid. I will sit on the fence though about the future of Williams, every year is ‘supposed’ to be their turnaround season yet it always ends in disappointment. People may laugh at this, but Massa is a loss for Ferrari. He was never going to compete with Alonso, but the stability he brought to Ferrari was important. He was a team player and incredibly loyal to the Italian giants. The way he handled himself following Brazil 2008 was pure class and I have respected him every since.
    Being told to move over for Alonso two years later in Germany was another example of Massa’s loyalty to a team that, more often than not, shafted him at every opportunity as only a F1 team can. Yet not one wimper, one complaint or protest. On his day, Felipe can perform. I am staggered by comments made about Massa’s lack of talent on this site at times. This man came within a whisker of winning the drivers championship five years ago, and comfortably beat his team mate at Ferrari at the time. Oh, and before you forget, the driver he beat that year was none other than Kimi Raikkonen!

    1. I’m with you in terms of supporting FM due to his talent. However, he definitely complained when he had to let FA go in 2010 Germany. ‘I’m no Reubens’ I believe is a direct quote from him at the time. Yet…he was…as per Ferrari admitting last year they are (were) a one-rooster team.

      Neither here nor there at this point…I look forward to an unencumbered FM, and a new look Williams (because they’ll all be ‘new look’) with a Mercedes rocket in the back, and a fresh start back toward the podia. It’s going to be great to watch. I think FM to Williams is great for F1.

Comments are closed.