Massa in, Maldonado and his millions out.
Felipe Massa may be signing off from Ferrari but he isn’t hanging up his helmet quite yet. He has signed with the Williams F1 team for the 2014 season and will partner Valtteri Bottas as the Grove based team look to put a disappointing season behind them and get back to winning ways.
“I always dreamed about racing for Williams” Massa
With 11 race wins and 36 podiums to his credit Massa has frequently challenged for the Drivers’ Championship, missing out by the narrowest of margins in 2008 when Lewis Hamilton won the title. Massa has also contributed to Ferrari’s Constructors’ Championships in both 2007 and 2008.
The announcement of Massa joining Williams means Pastor Maldonado is currently without a seat for 2014 but with the possibility of over £20m of PDVSA money behind him, if he doesn’t sign for Lotus then you can guarantee he won’t be homeless for too long.
In a press release Williams said they wanted to “thank Pastor Maldonado for his efforts and contribution over the past three seasons, in particular delivering the team’s Spanish Grand Prix victory last year. We wish him well for the future.”
The writing was on the wall when just before the Japanese Grand Prix Maldonado said he “would rather stay at home than have another season competing at the back of the field in 2014.”
So Felipe Massa takes his place and had this to say on the announcement: “Williams is one of the most successful and important teams of all time in Formula One. 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.”
Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal: “We are delighted to be able to confirm our 2014 driver line-up and welcome Felipe into the Williams family. He 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. Valtteri is a valued member of the team and I’m pleased he was able to demonstrate his talent in tricky conditions in Montréal. There is much more to come from him.”
Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal: “It is very exciting for us to be able to confirm our 2014 driver line- up as part of a number of announcements we will be making over the coming weeks. Felipe has demonstrated his talent and speed over the years, as well as his ability to help motivate and drive a team to championship success, and we are extremely pleased that he will be joining us as we embark on our 2014 campaign. Valtteri is an exciting, young talent who has done a solid job for us in his rookie season and we are looking forward to giving him the equipment he deserves to show just how good he is.
“This announcement is a key step towards our goal of returning Williams to the front of the grid, and part of our on-going plans to ensure we are stronger in 2014 and beyond. 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.”
Valtteri Bottas: “I’m very happy to be staying with the team as I embark on my second season in Formula One. I have known everyone here for many years, firstly as a test driver and now as a race driver, so it feels like home. I have faith in Williams and I know we can do so much better in the future than our current performance shows. I am looking forward to having Felipe as my teammate. 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 on-going trust in me.”
So two more seats are tied up for 2014. What is worth noting and a curious aside, both Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado share the same agent: Nicolas Todt (son of FIA boss Jean Todt) – the negotiations on this one must have been interesting for all involved!