277 replies to this topic

[Marklar]

WILLIAMS RACING ‏@WilliamsRacing  37s38 seconds ago

We are pleased to announce that @MassaFelipe19 has agreed to re-join Williams for the 2017 season, on a one-year deal. #WeAreRacing

 

[Clrnc]

It's official, Williams have a lack of ambition. 

[FullOppositeLock]

Pfff, welcome back I guess. Don't expect much from Williams this upcoming year sadly.

[Ivanhoe]

Well news is going fast today

[noikeee]

Wait, what happens to Valtteri Bottas?   

[RedBaron]

Wait, what happens to Valtteri Bottas?   

 

Out of F1

[Marklar]

Most awkward comeback ever

 

Felipe Massa ‏@MassaFelipe19  5m5 minutes ago

Obrigado a todos pelo carinho e apoio,a @WilliamsRacing pela confiança, Estou de volta. Thanks for all the kind message, i'm back!!

[jonpollak]

thrilling...

Jp

[LeClerc]

thrilling...

Jp

 

Like a Ventures '78 at '45...... Crawl, don't walk.

[WilliamsF1Fan]

The only expression I have for this is...

 

Meh

 

[SenorSjon]

I guess he brings new meaning to bring you car to work.

 

 

(he was gifted his 'last' car.)

[JHSingo]

So how long was Massa's "retirement" from F1 in days, officially? Must be a new record for shortest retirement ever.

[mclarensmps]

Complete cop out

[Boing 2]

Should have gone after Sainz, colour me underwhelmed and I usually have a surplus of whelm.

[WilliamsF1Fan]

I do get the decision and really it was the only logical option, but it doesn't hide the disappointment.  Thanks Nico for not announcing it months ago so my lot could have had more choice.  Still, onwards and, erm, sideways.

[TheRacingElf]

Not really a surprise but it's still a sad moment. This isn't the Williams team I grew up admiring anymore...

[RedBaron]

Not really a surprise but it's still a sad moment. This isn't the Williams team I grew up admiring anymore...

 

 

In fairness, it hasn't been for a while. A long long while.

[Jambo]

A little deflated but at the same time this was the only sensible option, going with two unknown quantities into a year like this would have been stupid.

[Cornholio]

So how long was Massa's "retirement" from F1 in days, officially? Must be a new record for shortest retirement ever.

 

Mansell's in 1990 might run it close, he announced it earlier in the season (Silverstone vs. Monza), but I think he was already confirmed as returning to Williams before the season was even over.

[Boing 2]

Williams have always had success when they've had a 'Williams' driver on board, Jones, Rosberg, Mansell, Villeneuve, Montoya OK I know Monty didn't give them a title but they were in the hunt and had wins. I'd love to see another 'balls of steel' driver on board.

[thegamer23]

Getting hyped already for Interlagos 2017's drama

[KWSN - DSM]

Not a good choice by Williams, or that they allow a sponsor to dictate one drivers.

 

[Baddoer]

F1 certainly have seen better comebacks

[ConsiderAndGo]

What a joke !!

Is talent that sparse in the motorsport world these days?

Total lack of ambition in my eyes.

[f1paul]

[Casey]

I want my tears back ..

[LuckyStrike1]

What a joke !!

Is talent that sparse in the motorsport world these days?

Total lack of ambition in my eyes.

 

That is modern time Williams F1 for you. 

(ok yes Lance Stroll could be seen as an ambitious move, but I'm convinced it was financially motivated and for me ambitious would have been to take a chance and put another young talent in the other seat and take the Mercedes money towards R&D instead) 

 

I miss Frank and Patrick who either took a chance or always signed Mansell which in itself always was a chance. 

Edited by LuckyStrike1, 16 January 2017 - 16:19.

[Lights]

[Maustinsj]

I did not see that coming!

[Anderis]

I don't get all of the whinging. Sure, it might be disappointing that Massa is holding a (possibly) competitive seat for yet another year but Williams really had no other option considering what had happened. Some say they should have gone for Sainz. That was no option. Even a factory team- Renault- wanted Sainz and they couldn't get him out of his current contract, so he was simply not an option for a team like Williams.

 

Some say that's a sign of lack of ambition. Remind me, when was the last time that a team with frontrunning ambitions had gone for two new inexperienced drivers in the same season? And to show you how important the continuity is- when we had major rule change in 2009, 8 out of 10 teams kept exactly the same line-up as they had had in 2008 and only Red Bull and Toro Rosso changed one driver. And now you expect Williams not only to change 2 drivers, but to have both of them inexperienced, as there is not a single proven, quick and experienced driver with recent F1 experience on the market at this point of the year. If Williams knew earlier about this, they could act differently, but in November every decent driver with experience already had a contract signed for 2017 and going with two inexperienced would have been suicidal. Believe it, or not, experience and continuity is of vital importance for any team, otherwise we would have some top teams going for two rookies from time to time, but it NEVER happens in modern times. And the fact that Mercedes has put so much effort into bringing Bottas in instead of having Ocon or Wehrlein for 2017 is very telling. Mind you, both of them are more experienced than Stroll and they have a 3-times WDC in the other seat and yet they decided it wouldn't have been enough experience for the intense development race of 2017.

Edited by Anderis, 16 January 2017 - 16:46.

[ensign14]

[ensign14]

Remind me, when was the last time that a team with frontrunning ambitions had gone for two new inexperienced drivers in the same season?

Williams in 1994. They won the constructors' title and were cheated out of the drivers'.

[Marklar]

Williams in 1994. They won the constructors' title and were cheated out of the drivers'.

They went with Senna into that season. So not quite comparable

[George Costanza]

Not really a surprise but it's still a sad moment. This isn't the Williams team I grew up admiring anymore...

definitely agree. Williams has not been the same since BMW left.

[BuddyHolly]

Huge mistake on both the part of Felipe and Williams.

Williams have consigned their season to the bin before it even starts.   stupid stupid move

 

Why they didn't grab Sainz I'll never know.   the boy has talent

Edited by BuddyHolly, 16 January 2017 - 17:17.

[johnmhinds]

[Kristian]

Huge mistake on both the part of Felipe and Williams.

Williams have consigned their season to the bin before it even starts.   stupid stupid move

 

Why they didn't grab Sainz I'll never know.   the boy has talent

 

Its not easy just to 'grab' a driver entrenched in a contract with another team... 

 

I think its fine for all parties. 

 

Williams gets someone with a lot of experience of many rules changes and the sport as a whole, and can help with development of the car. Sure, he's not as fast as he was once, but still solid enough for points. Oh, and dirt cheap (rather than buying someone else out). 

 

Stroll gets a teammate who can share this experience and help him learn, and there's a good chance his youth and spped will mean he can out do Felipe on some days, making him look good. Or, if he doesn't, then he can say that he's only 18, up against a multiple race winner and championship contender, who knows the team inside out - so what do you expect? 

 

Massa gets a drive and salary for a year. 

 

Martini gets someone who can drink their products in all drinking countries. 

Edited by Kristian, 16 January 2017 - 17:25.

[automovelbrilhante]

Just what the Bernie ordered. And he'll pay it too.
Edith: Peoples, it's not stupid, it's money in the bank. Money from Bernie, money from Stroll, money from Mercedes.

Edited by automovelbrilhante, 16 January 2017 - 17:31.

[Stroudy9393]

So a useless pay driver and out of date driver?     

[Okyo]

The only realistic option considering the current situation in the driver market and change of rules. Get your heads out of your bums.

[GoldenColt]

Meh. I was glad to see him leave tbh.

[Cornholio]

So a useless pay driver and out of date driver?     

 

While it's a fair point to ask whether Stroll's backing has given him advantages on the way up the ladder, in terms of equipment, seat time etc, I don't think a European Formula 3 champion can be considered useless. It remains to be seen if he'll make the step up, but as someone who watched F1 in the mid 90s, the modern brand of pay driver has nothing on the Deletraz and Lavaggis of this world, and so long as the FIA actually enforce their super licence rule (which Stroll qualifies for), they probably never will again.

 

On Massa, I agree with Kristian's post tbh, it suits all parties as a short term, one year arrangement. Motivation might be a question in this sort of situation, but the fact Massa was saying he wanted to keep racing and was seeking a full time series drive somewhere for 2017 before Rosberg's announcement kicked this whole thing off, I think that won't be an issue for him.

[SophieB]

Suits everyone except fans of good and exciting driving.

[GoldenColt]

Suits everyone except fans of good and exciting driving.

 

"For sure" it does.

[MikeV1987]

I don't like it, but what other realistic options did they have?

[Jerem]

Sigh...

[savvy2210]

Its not easy just to 'grab' a driver entrenched in a contract with another team... 

 

I think its fine for all parties. 

 

Williams gets someone with a lot of experience of many rules changes and the sport as a whole, and can help with development of the car. Sure, he's not as fast as he was once, but still solid enough for points. Oh, and dirt cheap (rather than buying someone else out). 

 

Stroll gets a teammate who can share this experience and help him learn, and there's a good chance his youth and spped will mean he can out do Felipe on some days, making him look good. Or, if he doesn't, then he can say that he's only 18, up against a multiple race winner and championship contender, who knows the team inside out - so what do you expect? 

 

Massa gets a drive and salary for a year. 

 

Martini gets someone who can drink their products in all drinking countries. 

But the same arguments can be said about Ocon or Wherlein at Mercedes.

 

3 x WDC, who better to teach them. 

 

So Mercedes go and wreck the set up of another team and F1 allow this ! It is time that F1 drivers under contract stay under contract. Rosberg's retirement came out of the blue, so do racing accidents. What back up plan was in place for this at Mecedes, or do they poach a driver in the season under contract ?

 

 .

[Kristian]

But the same arguments can be said about Ocon or Wherlein at Mercedes.

3 x WDC, who better to teach them.

So Mercedes go and wreck the set up of another team and F1 allow this ! It is time that F1 drivers under contract stay under contract. Rosberg's retirement came out of the blue, so do racing accidents. What back up plan was in place for this at Mecedes, or do they poach a driver in the season under contract ?

.

Learning in a probable midfield team is a different ballgame to learning in the spotlight of the championship favourite team....

Mercedes are managing pascal's career perfectly, IMO

[garoidb]

But the same arguments can be said about Ocon or Wherlein at Mercedes.

 

3 x WDC, who better to teach them. 

 

So Mercedes go and wreck the set up of another team and F1 allow this ! It is time that F1 drivers under contract stay under contract. Rosberg's retirement came out of the blue, so do racing accidents. What back up plan was in place for this at Mecedes, or do they poach a driver in the season under contract ?

 

 .

 

The back-up plan would probably be different for an off season retirement versus a mid-season accident. In this scenario, negotiating the release of a willing driver from another team is exactly the right move. If they continue to have a performance advantage, putting a rookie in there could mean 2017 becomes a non-event.

 

Their main contenders (Red Bull, Ferrari, even McLaren) would not release a driver to them, but Williams are dependent on them and benefit from the relationship. If Nico had announced in September, say, Valterri would probably still have the drive. It would just have been choreographed differently and Felipe would not have said his goodbyes. 

 

In terms of having a back up plan, the incoming driver should be one who has been driving as near the front of the grid as possible. That is the best preparation. 

[Mat13]

Wait... Massa retired?! I thought he'd nipped to the loo.