Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Abu Dhabi is always a nice race and a place I always like to visit. The people go crazy for Formula One as well, so I hope to see the track completely full! There are so many parties and boats around the track, and so many people enjoying themselves and getting excited for the race. The track infrastructure is one of the best in the world too. For me, it will be quite an emotional weekend as it will be my final race with Williams as well as my final race in Formula One. I am looking forward to it and plan to enjoy every moment, to finish my Formula One career on a high note!”

Lance Stroll - “I went there last year just after I was confirmed as a Williams Martini Racing driver, and it was a great event. In my view, it is a wonderful place to finish off the season. It is in the desert and they really put on a show, so this will certainly be a fitting end to the season. The circuit itself wouldn't be my favourite as it is very stop and go and doesn't have a great flow to it but, despite that, the show is great and so good for the fans. One very interesting thing is the pit lane exit which is in a tunnel under the track, which is pretty different.”

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Brazilian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa -“Brazil, my home race! It is always very special, and I will never forget what happened last year. Last year’s result was terrible, but the love, people and reception I witnessed was amazing. It’s fantastic to race at home, in the place where I started my career, and I’m looking forward to having a good race. I’ve had many good races in Brazil. Unfortunately, the last two years I didn’t but I really hope we can this year and I can enjoy being in my town, with my people. I really hope we have a good result, that is the most important thing.”

Lance Stroll - “Obviously, Brazil will be special for the whole team as it is Felipe’s home race. I have been able to soak up some knowledge and history of Brazil over the past couple of years, so I can’t wait to get there for the first time to experience it. It is also another great race for food and I am looking forward to a good churrascaria. The circuit itself is legendary, and I know there have been some great podiums there with lots of tears shed. I know you can see over the city of Sao Paulo from the track so I can’t wait to get there to see it for myself and experience the atmosphere."

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Felipe Massa Announces F1 Retirement

FELIPE MASSA TO RETIRE FROM FORMULA 1

    Felipe Massa has announced he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season, despite fighting to keep his Williams seat earlier in the year.

    When speculation began Williams was considering Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta to partner Lance Stroll in 2018, Massa claimed the team would head in a “much worse” direction if it did not retain him.

    But the Brazilian appears to have backed down from the fight for the seat, and announced on social media his second F1 retirement in as many years.

    “I have now enjoyed four great years with the team, but my career in Formula 1 will finally come to an end this season,” Massa said in a statement.

    “I take so many great memories with me as I prepare for my final two races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi and, although they will be emotional, I am looking forward to ending on a high note and preparing for a new chapter in my career.”

    Massa previously retired at the end of 2016, but returned after Valtteri Bottas moved to Mercedes to replace Nico Rosberg.

    “I would like to thank Felipe for all he has done for the team over the last four years,” said deputy team principal Claire Williams.

    “We are especially grateful that he agreed to postpone his retirement from F1 for a year, after Valtteri joined Mercedes, which demonstrated the depth of the relationship we built during our time together.

    We appreciate that it wasn’t an easy decision for him to return, after having such an emotional send-off at the end of last year.

    On behalf of Sir Frank, and all the team, we give our very best wishes to Felipe for the future.”

    The Brazilian has over 260 grand prix race starts and 11 victories, but has struggled to compete with rookie team-mate Stroll this season. He lies four points behind Stroll in the championship standings and has a best finish of sixth this year, compared to Stroll’s podium in Baku.

    Massa was rumoured to be considering a switch to Formula E after his 2016 retirement and even tested with Jaguar. The 2017-18 FE driver line-up has only recently been completed, but Massa could make his electric racing debut midway through the season.

    Speculation continues as to who will replace Massa. Kubica and di Resta are currently favourites, as they satisfy Martini’s request for an older driver to partner 19-year-old Stroll, but Daniil Kvyat and Pascal Wehrlein are also possibilities.

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “First of all, it’s a shame to see what’s happened, it’s so sad to see the people losing their lives and also their homes from the earthquake so that’s really, really sad. I think we need to help them and get as much support for them. We need to pass the message to people around the world. That is the most important thing. Secondly, they are really in love with Formula One and they go crazy for the race. When you see the people in the grandstand and around the roads, they are proper Formula One fans and I think it’s fantastic to race there. I always enjoy it, I go with some friends, my father and we always enjoy the atmosphere there. It looks very similar to São Paolo so you also feel at home. I really hope we can have an important race for them in this difficult moment.”

Lance Stroll - “This will be the first time I have visited Mexico and all the stories I have heard about the country and the circuit mean I am really looking forward to it. I am particularly looking forward to the stadium section where all the fans are and get really excited. I know there will be a great atmosphere and I can’t wait to get out on the circuit to experience it for myself. Another aspect of Mexico I am looking forward to is the food, as I am a huge fan of Mexican food and I love my spices. It will also be a bit of a special weekend for me as on race day I shall be celebrating my 19th birthday.”

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US GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Austin is definitely one of the best new tracks on the calendar. Although I love the classics like Suzuka and Spa, Austin is also a very nice track to drive. It’s a nice town, with nice steaks, so you always enjoy going there. It’s a place that I enjoy racing at but I also like to visit because the people are very welcoming. It’s great to see all the people in Downtown Austin enjoying themselves and having fun, there is a really nice atmosphere. I’m really looking forward to having a good race there and enjoying myself in Texas.”

Lance Stroll - “I am really looking forward to going to Austin and also spending a bit of time in America. From what I have seen, racing in the States, and particularly in Texas, is a lot of fun and then you have the barbeques and cowboy boots that they are famous for. The track itself has a great flow to it. There is the first sector with the esses and the elevation going up into Turn One is quite impressive. I think driving a lap there should be a lot of fun.”

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Suzuka is definitely one of the best tracks in the world and one where I really love racing. I think the car we have this year will be amazing there with the high downforce and the high-speed corners, so I am really looking forward to going there. Another great thing about being in Japan is the fans, who are some of the best we come across during the year.”

Lance Stroll - “I have heard so many great things about this track. All the drivers seem to love it and I am told the Japanese fans are also great. I am especially looking forward to Suzuka and spending a lot of time out in Asia. There have been some classic races there and let’s hope this year is the same. I am a big fan of the food and I especially love sushi and sashimi.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “The race in Malaysia is another one held in very hot and humid conditions, but for this we go back to racing in the daylight. Without doubt it will be very difficult physically and us drivers will lose a lot of fluids. It is a shame that this will be our last F1 race there, as I like racing there and have some friends who live around Kuala Lumpur. I really hope we can enjoy this and it is a great last race for the fans.”

Lance Stroll - “The second of our three Asian races should be fun, as I like the look of the track in Malaysia and certainly seems a great one from a driver’s point of view. The area that looks like a lot of fun, especially in this year’s cars, is that S and a couple of high-speed corners, which are turns five/six or six/seven. The other thing I have noticed is it tends to rain a lot there, and it often comes down suddenly and heavily, so we are going to have to be prepared for everything. Also, as this is the last time we shall race there, I want to make the most of this opportunity.”

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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “While we have three night races, Singapore is the only one in the middle of the city, in the middle of the night, and it’s great. I am looking forward to the race, although I know it will be very hot and humid, which makes it one of the most difficult tracks. As always, I am hoping we can have a good result.”

Lance Stroll - “Singapore is new territory for me, but I don’t mind that at all. So far the only night race I have done was in Bahrain, but this will obviously be very different as it is on a street circuit. I like the looks of the track from what I have seen and certainly it appears to be very technical. While I am sure Singapore as a place to visit is really cool, the temperature when we race there will be the exact opposite and the conditions will be hot and humid. The race should be really demanding physically and we will do a bit of training in the heat before going there. However, really you just have to carry on with the normal training and then suffer through the conditions.”

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Monza is a track I love and a country I love to race in. I managed to have two podiums for Williams in Monza and it would be really nice to have another one. It’s a nice track with amazing Formula One fans so it’s always an amazing pleasure to race in Monza.”

Lance Stroll - “You just can’t get away from the history of the track and the passion of the tifosi who love the Scuderia. The atmosphere hits you as soon as you arrive and it is a great feeling for all of us drivers. I have been there in Formula 3, so this is another circuit that I have raced on, in fact the fifth and the last of the year that I know from a racing point of view. I think our car should be good there from what I have seen, and hope we can get a good result.”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Spa is one of the best tracks in Formula One. I think it will be incredible to drive there with this new car, with more downforce. Eau Rouge will feel like a straight but so many other corners will also be amazing to drive. I am also going to be wearing a special ‘Joy of Racing’ helmet designed by a great Spanish artist called Kenor. It will look great, and a lucky fan will also get the chance to win it thanks to Martini. I’m really looking forward to a great race at Spa.”

Lance Stroll - “In Spa, I am heading to my second home race of the year. I am half Belgian, as this is where my mother was born, so I do have an affinity with the country. However, I have to admit that, unlike most Formula One drivers, Spa is not my absolute favourite. Having said that, I did win there last year in Formula 3, so I can’t complain about it too much. It is a very interesting track with some amazing sections and also there is always that air of uncertainty regarding the weather. You can have it raining in sector three and dry in sector one.”

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “It’s always a great pleasure to race in Hungary. It’s a place that’s very important to me, because of the fans and because of everything that happened with my accident there. I have a lot of support from the people there. I love the place and always have a lot of pleasure to go back to Budapest to race.”

Lance Stroll - “This will be the third track in a row where I have raced before, and so I know what to expect. I was there last year in Formula 3 and had a podium position, so have some good memories. I think it is a great track, although, like Monaco, it is very narrow with lots of corners and not so many straights. Having said that, it is a track I like a lot, and that especially goes for the middle sector which is quite fast with a lot of left and right turns. It has been resurfaced recently, so the track is smooth. All in all it is a great circuit and Budapest is a cool city where I have had some fun.”

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British GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Silverstone is always a very important race. It’s the home Grand Prix for the team, and we know how important that is for everyone, especially with the 40th anniversary celebrations. It’s going to be a very important weekend for Williams and I really hope we can have an amazing race, and an amazing result, to celebrate even more. The track itself is really nice. There’s a lot of high speed corners and the car normally performs very well there.”

Lance Stroll - “This is going to be a very special weekend. I know the 40th anniversary celebrations for the team will continue, and, as I witnessed at the fan day we had at the circuit on the 2nd June, we will have a lot of support. I have only had a few laps there in our 2014 Formula 1 car, but I do know it from racing there in 2015 in Formula 3. There is a lot of history surrounding the track and that always adds to the enjoyment. It is a very fast circuit and I find the Maggots/Becketts section really interesting. I think we will have a lot of fun this weekend.”

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Austria is a really fun track to drive. There are some nice high-speed corners and a couple of really good straights. We are normally quite competitive there. In the past I’ve had some good races where I’ve finished on the podium, and I had my pole position in 2014, so I also really enjoy spending time in Austria. The fans are always enthusiastic about Formula One. So I hope that we can have a good weekend and that I can bounce back from the disappointment in Baku.”

Lance Stroll - “Austria will be a completely new experience for me, as this is the first track of the year where I have already raced. I just love that track. It is so cool and a place I have enjoyed racing. There are not that many corners but it has a great flow and it is easy to get a good rhythm. It is always great going back to a track where you have been successful, and that is definitely the case here as last year in Formula 3 I had two wins and a second! The area is very beautiful and it reminds me of back home in Canada – one of those northern tracks with pine trees.”

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “I’m really looking forward to returning to such a nice country, and to a unique race track, which is in the heart of the city. There’s a lot of 90-degree corners and a flat out section from Turn 16 all the way down the long straight to Turn 1, where we reach some really high speeds. We had a double points finish there last year, and after my early retirement in Canada I hope we can come away with another strong result and some good points.”

Lance Stroll - "Going to Baku will be a totally new experience as not only have I never been there before, but last year when the race was on I missed it on TV as I was competing somewhere else. I don’t know what it is like yet as I haven’t done any simulator work and usually do this just before I fly to the race. The stories I have heard are of a really cool place and so I am really looking forward to seeing it for myself. It is yet another new experience and new country for me which is something else that I find exciting about Formula One. However, this will be my last ‘new’ experience for a while as I have already raced at the next handful of tracks.”

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “I’m really looking forward to going back to Montreal because it’s such an amazing place to be. It’s a race where our car normally has good performance, so I really hope we can show that again this year and have another good race. I also love the city of Montreal. The fans there really are in love with Formula One. It’s also Lance’s first home Grand Prix so it will be a very special weekend for him.”

Lance Stroll - “Montreal is going to be amazing for me, as this is not only my home race but it is also held in my home city, which is buzzing while the race is on. I grew up about 20 minutes away from the race track, so this will be something special and not many people will get to experience that feeling. As a kid I attended the race pretty much every year, then missed a few years while living in Europe, but was back there last year. For me it is a pure racing event. It is not the flashiest Grand Prix, as the paddock is small, but it is cool, unique and old school. The fans are really close to the track, the grandstands are huge and the run off areas are not massive, but I love that and hope it doesn’t change.”

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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - "It will be the first time we go to Monaco with wider cars. So we will need to adapt to the new size for the extremely tight track. It will be challenging, for sure, but it always is in Monaco. It's going to be an interesting race. It's a race where anything can happen. Qualifying can be more important than the race, as the position where you start often decides where you will finish, so it's important to have a good Saturday. Monaco is also like my second home Grand Prix, so I'm really looking forward to it!" 

Lance Stroll - "It goes without saying that I am looking forward to my first Monaco race. It is going to be a special weekend on and off track, as I have some friends coming to see me race there. I have seen the race a couple of times and know the track from video games. I always go on the simulator a few days before leaving for the race so it is fresh in my mind, and then a track walk with my engineers is where I can pick up on the little things. Without doubt it's going to be tricky. However, this is always the case with street circuits, especially for your first race, but I am going to enjoy the challenge. With the barriers so close there is less room for error, so it is important to build up to quick laps and then really push when it matters."

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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - "Barcelona is a track that most of the drivers know pretty well. It's a little bit like a home Grand Prix for everybody because we're always testing there! You need good down-force for the high-speed sections, and you also need very good traction in the last sector. We had a good pre-season test there this year, but this is where it counts. I really hope we can have a good weekend without any unlucky incidents like we had in Sochi."

Lance Stroll - "While I know Barcelona well from testing there in series like Formula Renault and Formula 3 and obviously the Formula One tests before the start of the season, I have never actually raced on the track. It is a track I love and there are particular parts of it I really like. For instance I enjoy the first sector, which is high speed for corners one, two and three and even into four and five. This part is really flowing. Then the last sector becomes tight, twisty and technical. Having said that, it is still a tricky one. On top of that I really like the city of Barcelona and look forward to staying there. It has a lot of atmosphere and some amazing areas."

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Russian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Sochi is a really nice track to drive and it’s a race I enjoy a lot. In the past it’s a track we have done well at – I finished fourth and fifth in 2014 and 2015 - so I’m hoping we can have another good race there this year. The event has been getting bigger every year so I’m really looking forward to going back again.” 

Lance Stroll - “This is certainly one of the most difficult tracks for me to talk about as I have never been there or done it on the sim yet. I did watch last year’s race but still have to really see how the track is. However, I do enjoy going to new tracks. They all have their own particular characteristics and it is fun to find these out. Obviously the first experience I will have is the Thursday track walk, which I do with my engineers. It is surprising how much you can learn about a track by walking it that is still relevant when you are going round at speed in an F1 car. You get to know the bumps and have a feel for how the car will react. When learning a new one there is no set number of laps it takes, as sometimes you get into it very quickly and others it takes a bit more time. It just depends on the track and your feeling and how long it takes to get into a rhythm.”

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Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - "It's always nice to go to China. I really like the track. It has a very old style, with many high speed corners and one of the longest straights in Formula One. It's definitely a fun track to drive. I also love the Chinese fans. They have a lot of love and whenever I leave my hotel they're always outside waiting! So I'm really looking forward to seeing them all again."

Lance Stroll - "This will be my first time in mainland China, as in the past I have just been to Macau where I raced in F3. I don't know a lot about the circuit. I have only done some simulator work on the track, so I still have to wait to see what it is like in reality. However, I have watched some of the races there so have an idea about the scale of the track. After Melbourne, which is a narrow track, I am going to change my approach a bit as it is a little more forgiving with the large run off areas. Having said that, I shall just prepare in the normal way as well as I can for the race."

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - "Australia is a fantastic place to start the season, not only because it’s a beautiful country, but also because the people are so nice. So it’s always a big pleasure to go to Australia. It really is the perfect place to get started. It’s quite a tricky track though. It’s half racetrack, half street circuit, so it’s definitely not easy. It’s good to have a difficult challenge at the start of the season though. I’m just really looking forward to getting started! It’s always a very important race because it’s the first time all of the teams will be together and racing for real."

Lance Stroll - "I am really excited for Melbourne. It’s going to be quite an experience being my first ever Grand Prix. It’s a new track and I have never been to Australia. I am just really looking forward to it all and very excited to get started. I can’t wait. I have driven the track in the simulator and I have seen some videos, and onboards. It looks quite tricky. Even though it is a new track for me it’s a different track also. It’s kind of a road course, so the track really changes a lot throughout the weekend, so that will be a good challenge. I will just take it as it comes, push as hard as I can, enjoy it and look forward to the weekend."

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