Williams confirms Massa and Bottas for 2014

ByLuke Smith   November 11, 2013

Williams has confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will be joined by Felipe Massa at the team next season, leaving Pastor Maldonado without a secure drive as the Venezuelan driver angles for a move to Lotus in 2014.

Massa was left without a seat after Ferrari took the decision to drop the Brazilian driver in favour of re-hiring Kimi Raikkonen as a teammate for Fernando Alonso. Despite also vying for the seat at Enstone, Massa – who has eleven grands prix victories to his name – was not the preferred option for the team which is now deciding between Nico Hulkenberg and Pastor Maldonado.

Massa had insisted that he would not drop too far down the grid into an uncompetitive car, and although Williams has scored just a single point so far this season, the history that the team has makes the drive desirable. Further to that, memories of the team’s success in 2012 will not be too far away for the Brazilian who bid farewell to Ferrari at Mugello yesterday.

Bottas made his debut with Williams at the beginning of the season, and although the Finn has failed to score his first points in Formula One, he has matched Maldonado throughout the year despite being less experienced. He has remained rather anonymous amid the whirpool of rumours that has ensued over the last few months, keeping himself to himself and evidently doing enough to earn the team’s faith for 2014.

Now, all eyes will be on Pastor Maldonado to see if he can secure a drive with Lotus in 2014, which would in turn leave Nico Hulkenberg without a secure seat. Further to that, Lotus is yet to confirm who will stand in for Kimi Raikkonen in the final two rounds of the year after the Finn opted to undergo back surgery ahead of his move to Ferrari.

Images courtesy of Octane Photographic.

Source: richlandf1.com