Felipe Massa contemplates retirement after 2016

Felipe Massa first raced in 1999

After Susie Wolff announced her retirement from competitive motorsport earlier this week, Williams driver Felipe Massa has announced that he will retire from Formula One if he cannot find himself in a competitive team after 2016.

Speaking to the Brazilian news outlet UOL Esporte, Massa said, “Next year will be the last of my contract, so I think it will be the most important season to understand if I continue or not. If I have the chance to race on a competitive team, I stay. Otherwise, I stop.”

"I'll be in F1 if I have a team like Williams, for whom I am very happy to drive and they are also happy to have me. When you love working and feel loved, that is what gives motivation to continue.”, he added.

Massa's career in Formula One has spanned 16 years since he made his debut for Red Bull Sauber Petronas in 2002. He has enjoyed a successful stint of 8 years at Scuderia Ferrari, narrowly missing out on the WDC to Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

His departure from F1 could mean that the sport will lose the last of its old guard. Apart from Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso are the only other current drivers in the sport from the V10-era.

"I do not think I will be afraid to stop”, said Massa of his eventual retirement. “I think I'll be fine I know that everyone will have to stop at some point.. But I do not think that time has come yet."

Talking about life after F1, Massa said he hasn't yet thought of a plan for it. “I do not know if I'll move back to Brazil, I will continue to live in Monaco. I love Miami, so maybe I would go live there.”