Massa: “At Williams, I am listened to”
After eight seasons with Scuderia Ferrari, Felipe Massa will take on a new challenge in his career by joining Williams from this season. After the first official tests of the year in Jerez last month, the Brazilian already feels at home within the legendary British team.
The adventure between Felipe Massa and Ferrari came to an end last November after the last Grand Prix of the season in Sao Paulo. With the Italian team, the Brazilian came close to the title in 2008 and secured 11 victories. But the weariness between the two parties began to weigh heavily after eight years together: « When time passes and the situation remains the same, you end up losing motivation. To be honest, I felt I needed a change. And perhaps it was the same for Ferrari. »
Having found refuge with Williams, a team that has seen many illustrious Brazilians such as Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna pass through, Massa is ready to start a new chapter in his career with a team where he already feels at home: « I am very happy. Especially with the way I have been received at Williams. From the first day I arrived at the factory, everyone has helped me a lot by being behind me 100% and believing in my potential. »
A situation that might seem different from what was experienced at Ferrari, even if the Brazilian admits it indirectly: « At Williams, I am listened to. Which doesn’t mean I wasn’t at Ferrari. They listened to me a lot. Last year I worked on the development of the car and in the simulator. I was almost the only driver because Alonso wasn’t there. Often, we realized that it didn’t work as it should have. At many Grand Prix, we had developments, but they didn’t work on the car. Unlike Red Bull, we started with a competitive car and ended with one that was no longer competitive. »
