The Williams Martini Racing team will race with an unchanged line-up during the 2016 Formula 1 season after announcing that Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa will stay with the team for another year.
It will be Bottas’ fourth year of driving for the team (after three years on the teams books as a test driver stretching back to 2010), and Massa’s third year after joining from Scuderia Ferrari at the beginning of the 2014 season.
Bottas was linked to the Ferrari team this season, but the Italian team’s decision to retain Kimi Raikkonen meant that option was closed to him, but the Finn is looking forward to another year of progress in 2016 with Williams and to add to his seven podium finishes he has achieved with the team so far.
“I am really pleased to be staying with the team for a fourth F1 race season,” said Bottas. “We have been getting stronger as a team and I look forward to what next year will bring, as I believe we can achieve even stronger results than what we have seen so far.
“I can’t wait for 2016, however I am still fully focused on this season as we still have plenty of challenges to achieve. I must thank everyone at Williams for their continued trust in me.”
Massa is also happy that the partnership between himself and the Williams team continues for another season, and is encouraged that the relationship will have the opportunity to prosper further between them in 2016.
“I am very happy to be a part of the Williams family,” insisted Massa. “I am in my second year here and am so pleased to be staying as we are working very well together as a team.
“They respect me a lot and the results are there, and it has been so nice to be part of the big turnaround the team has seen since the end of 2013. I can’t wait to carry on and continue pushing even more for the team, and for myself.
Thank you to the whole Williams team for their ongoing support and belief in me, as we build on what is already a great relationship.”
