The Williams F1 Team today announced that Felipe Massa would join the Grove-based team to drive alongside Valtteri Bottas for the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship season.


A team statement said that having competed in 12 FIA Formula One World Championship seasons, Massa was an experienced talent and proven race winner, with 11 race wins and 36 podiums to his credit during a hugely successful career.

A spokesman said: "He has frequently challenged for the Drivers' Championship, missing out by the narrowest of margins in 2008 and has also contributed to Ferrari's Constructors' Championships in both 2007 and 2008.
"After joining Williams as the team's Test Driver in 2010, Bottas was promoted to a race seat in 2013 and has matured into an accomplished Formula One driver, impressing the team not least with his handling of the difficult conditions in Canada to put his Williams-Renault FW35 third on the grid."
Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal: "We are delighted to be able to confirm our 2014 driver line-up and welcome Felipe into the Williams family.

"He is an exceptional talent and a real fighter on the race track; he also brings a wealth of experience as we begin a new chapter in our story. Valtteri is a valued member of the team and I'm pleased he was able to demonstrate his talent in tricky conditions in Montréal. There is much more to come from him."
Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, said: "It is very exciting for us to be able to confirm our 2014 driver line-up as part of a number of announcements we will be making over the coming weeks

" Felipe has demonstrated his talent and speed over the years, as well as his ability to help motivate and drive a team to championship success, and we are extremely pleased that he will be joining us as we embark on our 2014 campaign.

"Valtteri is an exciting, young talent who has done a solid job for us in his rookie season and we are looking forward to giving him the equipment he deserves to show just how good he is.
"This announcement is a key step towards our goal of returning Williams to the front of the grid, and part of our on-going plans to ensure we are stronger in 2014 and beyond. The stability of having both our drivers on multi-year contracts, Mercedes-Benz as our engine partner and a strong commercial base all contribute to the future success of the Williams F1 Team."
Massa said: "Williams is one of the most successful and important teams of all time in Formula One.

"When I was a kid, I always dreamed about racing for Williams, Ferrari or McLaren and I'm glad to be signing with another icon of the sport following my time at Ferrari.

"It is also nice to remember that some of the best Brazilian drivers raced for Williams and cemented a strong national link with the team. With such a major change of regulations in 2014, I hope my experience will be useful in helping the team in its effort to move on from a difficult period. Since my early days in motor racing, I don't remember seeing so many new rules in a single season and I'm fully prepared to work with everyone at Grove to make sure we find the right direction. 

"I'm highly motivated to start working hard from the very beginning in what is an exciting new challenge in my career."