- Title: Massa comes out of retirement to rejoin Williams
- Date: 16th January 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MARCH 6, 2014) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VIEW OF WILLIAMS F1 CAR IN WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING LIVERY, WITH DRIVERS FELIPE MASSA AND VALTTERI BOTTAS, TEAM FOUNDER FRANK WILLIAMS AND TEAM DEPUTY PRINCIPAL CLAIRE WILLIAMS CLOSE OF CAR NOSE, WITH DECAL OF THE SENNA FOUNDATION, AND DRIVER FELIPE MASSA DRIVER FELIPE MASSA BOTTAS AND MASSA CLOSE UP THEN-TEST DRIVER SUSIE WOLFF, BOTTAS, MASSA AND FELIPE NASR IN FRONT OF CAR
- Embargoed: 30th January 2017 15:13
- Keywords: Felipe Massa Williams Bottas retirement Formula One
- Location: LONDON AND GROVE, ENGLAND, UK; MEXICO CITY, MEXICO; PESSIONE, ITALY
- City: LONDON AND GROVE, ENGLAND, UK; MEXICO CITY, MEXICO; PESSIONE, ITALY
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Motor Racing,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZBX0LB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Brazilian Felipe Massa, who retired at the end of last season, has agreed a one-year contract to re-join Williams and take on the seat vacated by former teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Finnish driver Bottas will replace retired Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes this season, Williams announced on Monday (January 16).
Bottas, 27, will partner Britain's triple world champion Lewis Hamilton at dominant Mercedes, winners of the last three drivers and constructors' titles and favourites again this year.
The 35-year-old Massa, a former race winner with Ferrari and 2008 world championship runner-up, will partner 18-year-old Canadian rookie Lance Stroll.
Williams deputy principal Claire Williams had said the team would not stand in Bottas's way, providing they could secure a suitable replacement.
Sauber earlier set the merry-go-round in motion by announcing that German driver Pascal Wehrlein, who was the Mercedes reserve and Bottas's main rival to replace Rosberg, would race for them this year.
Wehrlein, 22, drove for struggling Manor as a rookie last year but Mercedes felt they needed a more experienced replacement. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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