More news will follow now that Felipe Massa has been signed up by Williams for 2014. "It is very exciting for us to be able to confirm our 2014 driver lineup as part of a number of announcements we will be making over the coming weeks," said the British team's deputy boss Claire Williams.
Brazilian Massa, whose Ferrari career has ended after eight seasons, replaces the lucratively PDVSA-backed Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado. There is little doubt PDVSA, the state-run Venezuelan oil company, has had to buy its way out of the estimated EUR 40 million per season deal, which was set to run until 2015.
"It (the branding) won't be on the car for next year," Claire Williams told Reuters on Monday. "I think when our numbers come out next year, people will see what has actually gone on behind the scenes with this whole arrangement," she added.
Massa and Williams insist the 32-year-old Paulista cannot be described as a 'pay-driver'. Indeed, Monday's announcement did not coincide with the expected news that Massa would be followed to Grove by the Brazilian company Petrobras.
Williams, however, said it intends to capitalise on the strong Brazilian economy. "I think Brazil is one of the sport's biggest markets, so it's really up to us to go out and commercialise Felipe as our driver," said Claire Williams.
Livio Oricchio, the well-connected correspondent for O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, hinted that the Massa rumour has been bandied around for some time, ostensibly to drum up interest among potential Brazilian sponsors. But Massa's manager Nicolas Todt insists that the key part of the deal is the 2008 championship runner-up's talent and experience.
"They saw the opportunity to have an experienced and winning driver, still young at 32," said the Frenchman. "Williams wants to renew itself, they need motivated people, so Felipe will bring a great motivation for them," added Todt. "And for Felipe it was very important to feel wanted."
Todt admitted that his role in the deal has been complicated, given the fact he also manages Maldonado, who has been linked with a move to Lotus. About Maldonado, Todt said: "We should have news later this month. Pastor has lost none of the support he had before." Williams said both Massa, and his Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas, have 'multi-year' contracts. (GMM)
'Number of announcements' to follow - Williams
- Published on 12 Nov 2013 12:07
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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6 - Mar 8
Australia
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13 - Mar 15
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Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Cadillac F1
- Points 1,608
- Podiums 61
- Grand Prix 221
- Country FI
- Date of b. Aug 28 1989 (36)
- Place of b. Nastola, FI
- Weight 70 kg
- Length 1.73 m
- 135,081 comments on Cadillac F1
2 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Valtteri Bottas
Team profile
- Team name Williams
- Base Grove, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
- Jacques Villeneuve 1
- Logan Sargeant 2
- Ayrton Senna 2
- Jacques Villeneuve 3
- Nicholas Latifi 6
- Jacques Villeneuve 6
- Nico Rosberg 7
- Nico Hülkenberg 10
- Nico Rosberg 10
- Jenson Button 10
- Pastor Maldonado 12
- Pastor Maldonado 16
- Nico Rosberg 16
- Nico Rosberg 16
- Valtteri Bottas 17
- Lance Stroll 18
- Pastor Maldonado 18
- Felipe Massa 19
- Alexander Albon 23
- Sergey Sirotkin 35
- Nyck de Vries 45
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- Robert Kubica 88
- 161,828 comments on Williams
- 39 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Williams
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