Outgoing Williams driver Felipe Massa believes the team will make improvements in 2018, after admitting its in-season development this year was “not great”.
Massa stayed on at Williams for another campaign, having initially announced his intention to retire, but will not compete in Formula 1 next season, opting to retire for good this time around.
Massa began the year with two sixth-place finishes from the opening trio of events, but has not reached the same heights again, taking a best of eighth in Belgium and Italy.
The Brazilian believes Williams has struggled to develop its FW40 this year, but reckons changes behind-the-scenes means the situation will be better for his successor in 2018.
“The way we started the season it was not the same way we finished the season,” he said.
“Definitely the car was more competitive at the beginning than at the end, so development-wise it was not great, I would say, this year
“I think it’s definitely important to change a little bit some ideas for the car, but I think that’s the way Williams is doing for next year.
“So having a car that’s a little bit more different – the way they are developing the car, the way they are working the car – so I really hope they can achieve that from next year to the future.”
Massa, preparing to contest his final two Formula 1 events, says he expects to keep racing next year.
“It’s part of my expectation to keep driving, to keep having fun on the track, so that’s what I have been doing since I was eight years old, and that is my job since a long time as well,” he said.
“So, I think when you’re driving and you’re competing, you really feel the emotion of doing your job, or for enjoying yourself, so yes, definitely I really hope I can find the category that I have fun, like I had in Formula 1 for very long.
“I will have enough time to think about it, to understand which is a good category to go, and then we will see.”
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