13/10/2017
NEWS STORY
While he appeared to accept retirement last year, bidding a tearful farewell to his adoring countrymen in Brazil before finally bowing out at Abu Dhabi two weeks later, this time around Felipe Massa doesn't appear willing to go quite as quietly.
No sooner had he started to settle in to the pipe and slippers routine than he was brought out of retirement again after Mercedes agreed a deal with Williams to release Valtteri Bottas to replace Nico Rosberg.
Though delighted to be back on the grid, Massa has largely failed to impress and understandably Williams has been looking elsewhere.
This week, ahead of a planned shoot-out involving Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta in Hungary, the Pole tested a 2014 Williams at Silverstone, the team describing the day as "successful".
Speaking in Suzuka last week however, Paddy Lowe claimed that the team's options were not limited to the Pole and the Scot, while also suggesting that Massa remains in the frame.
As his rookie teammate goes from strength to strength, the Brazilian suggests it would be foolish to change a line-up that is working.
"I think it's frustrating that the team is trying to go for a direction that can really be much worse than keeping the same drivers," he said, according to Motorsport.com.
"Lance is growing a lot," he continued, "and to be honest I'm really doing a great job with my driving, so I think the team has a direction that it can just be positive to keep it the way it is. If the team changes something, they can pay more than it costs to keep me!
"I think the team knows 100 percent what I am able to do," he said. "Where I am in the classification in the championship now I am not because of my mistakes, I am because of things that happened in three races, that I lost maybe 30 points. If I had the points that I'm supposed to have, not from my mistakes during the season, I would have been maybe fighting very close to the Force India guys."
The Brazilian claims that while Lowe is keen to retain him, outside influences may force the team to look elsewhere. Fact is, neither Kubica nor di Resta will have budgets, so he is no doubt referring to the likes of title sponsor Martini.
"I really like Paddy, and Paddy knows what is better for the team, for sure," he said. "Maybe it's not 100 percent his decision, and they have to make a decision related to some other stuff. Unfortunately money is part of this game, unfortunately not in the right way, for the professional drivers, for the professional teams. That's why I think if Williams keep the direction they have now, they are behaving like a professional and top team, if not, they're thinking about different things."
The veteran reiterated comments made in Japan last week, calling on Williams to announce its intentions before his home race.
"I think it will be better for the team, it will be better for me, to know just before Brazil," he said. "I'm totally motivated to carry on, I feel like I'm taking the best out of the car, working really well with the team, and that's what I believe."