The Williams F1 Team has announced their line-up for the 2014 Formula 1 season.
Valtteri Bottas will remain at the Grove based squad for a second year, however current team-mate Pastor Maldonado will be replaced by Felipe Massa.
Massa will leave Ferrari at the end of the season after an eight year stint with the team. He is an 11 time F1 race winner and narrowly missed out on the 2008 world title, finishing as runner-up. His experience will be vital in guiding Williams through the new 2014 regulations.
It now leaves current driver Maldonado without a drive for next season, although it could hint that a move to Lotus is on the cards - it all hinges on the Enstone outfit's deal with Quantum Motorsports to secure their financial future.
Williams announced earlier in the season that they will switch from Renault to Mercedes engines in 2014. The German manufacturer will supply the iconic team with V6 Turbo power plants as the sport enters a new era.
Sir Frank Williams, founder and team principal, commented on the news. "We are delighted to be able to confirm our 2014 driver line-up and welcome Felipe into the Williams family," he said. "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."
He added: "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."
Deputy team principal Claire Williams also spoke on the announcement: "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.
Massa joins Williams after being replaced for the 2014 season at Ferrari by Kimi Raikkonen. "Williams is one of the most successful and important teams of all time in Formula One," said the Brazilian driver. "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."
He added: "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."
Commenting on the confirmation that he will continue with Williams in 2014, Valtteri Bottas said: "I'm very happy to be staying with the team as I embark on my second season in Formula One. I have known everyone here for many years, firstly as a test driver and now as a race driver, so it feels like home. I have faith in Williams and I know we can do so much better in the future than our current performance shows.
"I am looking forward to having Felipe as my teammate. He is a quick and experienced driver and together we will be pushing to the maximum to improve the car and get as many points as we can next season. We will be working throughout the winter to ensure we are ready for the challenge of 2014. I would also like to thank everyone at Williams, especially Frank, Claire and the senior management for their on-going trust in me."
The team also thanked Maldonado for his "efforts and contribution" over his three-year stint with Williams.
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| Images (c) Octane Photographic |
Massa will leave Ferrari at the end of the season after an eight year stint with the team. He is an 11 time F1 race winner and narrowly missed out on the 2008 world title, finishing as runner-up. His experience will be vital in guiding Williams through the new 2014 regulations.
It now leaves current driver Maldonado without a drive for next season, although it could hint that a move to Lotus is on the cards - it all hinges on the Enstone outfit's deal with Quantum Motorsports to secure their financial future.
Williams announced earlier in the season that they will switch from Renault to Mercedes engines in 2014. The German manufacturer will supply the iconic team with V6 Turbo power plants as the sport enters a new era.
Sir Frank Williams, founder and team principal, commented on the news. "We are delighted to be able to confirm our 2014 driver line-up and welcome Felipe into the Williams family," he said. "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."
He added: "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."
Deputy team principal Claire Williams also spoke on the announcement: "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.
Massa joins Williams after being replaced for the 2014 season at Ferrari by Kimi Raikkonen. "Williams is one of the most successful and important teams of all time in Formula One," said the Brazilian driver. "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."
He added: "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."
Commenting on the confirmation that he will continue with Williams in 2014, Valtteri Bottas said: "I'm very happy to be staying with the team as I embark on my second season in Formula One. I have known everyone here for many years, firstly as a test driver and now as a race driver, so it feels like home. I have faith in Williams and I know we can do so much better in the future than our current performance shows.
"I am looking forward to having Felipe as my teammate. He is a quick and experienced driver and together we will be pushing to the maximum to improve the car and get as many points as we can next season. We will be working throughout the winter to ensure we are ready for the challenge of 2014. I would also like to thank everyone at Williams, especially Frank, Claire and the senior management for their on-going trust in me."
The team also thanked Maldonado for his "efforts and contribution" over his three-year stint with Williams.
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