I love Felipe Massa, however, the recent news that the Brazilian would remain at Williams for 2017 shocked me.
Don’t get me wrong. The man’s a legend of the sport. He’s a smiling face in the paddock, an optimistic person at the worst of times and a brilliant driver who had to work alongside some of the toughest in Formula One history.
However, was it that smart of a choice?
Massa’s experience could prove to be a crucial aspect to the team in the upcoming 2017 season.
His experience gives Williams a very useful understanding of Formula One cars that new drivers like his 2017 teammate Lance Stroll couldn’t provide.
Massa could also be a mentor to Stroll, much like Mclaren’s Fernando Alonso-Stoffel Vandoorne combination will work in 2017.
The Brazilian also brings in sponsorship money, and without him, the team is nowhere near as attractive to possible investors.
Massa is also loved by everyone. We all saw the reaction from everyone at Interlagos when fans, drivers, and teams alike all thought it would be his last race at home. For sure, this is one of the biggest reasons why people in Formula One would love him to continue on.
But not everything about the move is positive.
Massa’s results in Formula One haven’t been great this season, and they aren’t looking like they’ll improve anytime soon.
The 35-year-old could only get to the heights of a pair of fifth-place finishes this year, while his teammate was able to get a solid third placing.
And of course, Massa is getting old.
Formula One drivers get a very limited time in the sport at their peak. For the 2017 season, Massa will be the second oldest driver for the 2017 season. Williams will only manage to get one season out of him at best.
Yet overall, it’s a good move for Massa to come back to Williams.
While the team may not be able to be as high scoring as they would with another driver leading the team, it’s still a good move, as Massa brings in sponsorship money, and is the perfect mentor to young rookie Stroll next season.
Don’t expect an incredible season from the team from Grove next year, but do expect both Massa and Stroll to work as a brilliant driver combination, helping both each other and Williams’ research and development program at the same time.
GD66
Guest
Bang on Mad Dog, once you say "I will retire", mentally a switch flicks off and you can never recapture that last few fractions of a second. Still, he hasn't won a GP since 2008 so it's not going to affect the drivers' title much. Formula One is already a basket case, so this re-appointment is not really a surprise.
Mad Dog
Guest
I honestly wonder what his mental state would be like after going through all the retirement stuff towards the end of this season. Will he be mentally and emotionally ready to do it all for another year if he already flicked the switch to 'off'? I hope he does well, i legitimately like the guy and think hes great for the sport, i just think he seemed almost relieved to be retired and now he's back.