FELIPE MASSA has announced "he will retire from Formula One at the end of this season," according to Daniel Johnson of the London TELEGRAPH. It "clears a space" for JENSON BUTTON at Williams should the '09 world champion decide he "wants to return to the team where his career began." Massa has raced in the sport for 15 years, first with Sauber, then Ferrari and finally Williams "for the final three years." His final race, his 250th, "will be in Abu Dhabi at the end of November." In an "emotional press conference at Monza," he paid tribute to his family and everyone he has worked with in Formula 1. Massa: "I'm more nervous now than all my race starts. After 27 years of my racing career, since I started karting and with 15 years in F1, this will be my last season in F1" (TELEGRAPH, 9/1). The BBC's Andrew Benson reported Massa paid tribute to his former teammate MICHAEL SCHUMACHER, whose decision to retire for the first time at the end of '06, when the two were teammates at Ferrari, "was key to the continuation of Massa's career." Massa said, "I chose this place to announce my decision because 10 years ago Michael announced his retirement and the only way for me to continue at Ferrari was for him to stop. So he chose to stop to give me the opportunity and here is almost my second country, which I love so much" (BBC, 9/1). SKY SPORTS' Gill & Galloway reported while teammate VALTTERI BOTTAS is expected to be retained for '17, Massa's compatriot FELIPE NASR -- whose candidature is "underpinned by substantial sponsorship money" -- the favorite to replace him "amid the diminishing likelihood" Button will be attracted to the "romance" of farewell swansong at Williams. Massa joined Williams in '14 and helped reestablish the team "as a podium-finishing force." Deputy Team Principal CLAIRE WILLIAMS said, "It's a sad and emotional day. He's a true gentleman. We were a team in dire straits and were so lucky he came to join us. He's been a big part of the success we've had over the last three years" (SKY SPORTS, 9/1).
