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Abu Dhabi GP: Massa ends his career with points finish


By Williams Martini Racing
November 28 2016

The final race of the 2016 Formula One season, the 2016 Abu Dhabi GP, would see Williams Martini driver Felipe Massa end his time in Formula One with a points scoring finish with a 9th place. For team-mate Valtteri Bottas his race would end in disappointment with a retirement with a suspension issue. The Williams Martini team would finish 5th in the Constructors Championship.

 
 Williams Martini Abu Dhabi GP Race Review
 
Williams Team
 

Race Notes
 • Felipe Massa finished the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ninth while Valtteri Bottas retired due to a suspension issue
• Both cars had a clean start on the ultrasoft tyre, moving up to ninth and 10th after a spin from Max Verstappen
• After battling teammate Felipe for ninth, Valtteri came into the pit with a rear suspension issue, which could not be resolved and resulted in retirement
• Felipe’s race got off to a strong start and he pitted from P10 for a new set of soft tyres, coming out P13. He made good progress from there, overtaking Romain Grosjean and ran as high as seventh before making his second pitstop for another set of new soft's on lap 31
• He soon made it up to ninth, and was gaining on Sergio Perez in the closing stages of the race, taking the chequered flag in ninth
• The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked Valtteri’s 77th and Felipe’s 250th and final grand prix
• WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING has finished fifth in the 2016 Formula One Constructors’ Championship.

Massa 

Felipe Massa:
"Well, I’m really proud to have been fighting up to the last lap of the race in the same way I fought in the first lap of my career! I want to say thank you to everyone – everyone who has been with me all the way, racing together. Thank you to the fans and to Williams, who I will keep supporting in the future! Thank you to everyone who has been part of everything I have been through. I have finished my career with my head up, the same way I started my career. I also took a little extra care with the car seeing as it will now be my car – thank you again to Williams for that gift!"

Bottas

Valtteri Bottas:
"It is disappointing to finish the race after only a few laps. When I was running P9, I felt something suddenly break in the rear of the car with the suspension and the car was pretty undriveable after that. We tried to fix it in the garage, but it was not possible so we had to retire. It is a shame to end the season like this, but it does mean that I’m now very much looking forward to next year."

Rob Smedley

Rob Smedley, Head of Vehicle Performance:
"It was a tough race, as we expected it to be. Unfortunately, Valtteri went out with a rear suspension failure so we will look into that. Felipe drove a really good race in the car that he had and it was a fitting end to his career. Fernando Alonso gambled on a different tyre strategy but Felipe was able to hold him off until the end and finished ninth. It’s not where we really want to be but it was a good job by all the guys.

Thank you to all of the race team for the brilliant job they’ve all done. We know the car pace isn’t quick enough but they’ve never given up, always strived to get more performance and, between them all, they’ve done a really good job.

And of course, thanks to the two drivers.

It’s unfortunate what’s happened today but Valtteri has had a really strong season. We’ve got to deliver him a better car and he will keep pushing himself because there’s a lot more there that we can do together. I’ve known Felipe since he was a child; he’s one of my best mates. He’s not only a great driver with an outstanding career, but a really good human being as well. Then there’s his family, who have supported him throughout his career – I don’t think he ever does a race without one member of his family – and they deserve some credit for that. I wish him all the best for his life in the future."

 
Massa
 

Track Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
Lap Length 5.554 km / 3.45 miles

Weather: Warm and dry
Air 25-27°C, Track: 27-30°C

POS

DRIVER

TEAM

Time/Gap (Fastest Lap)

Grid

1

L Hamilton

Mercedes 1:38:04.013 (1:45.137)

1

2 N Rosberg Mercedes + 0.439 (1:45.261) 2
3 S Vettel Ferrari + 0.843 (1:43.729) 5
         
9 F MASSA Williams Martini Racing + 59.436 (1.45.675) 10
DNF V BOTTAS Williams Martini Racing - 11
 
Bottas
 

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Abu Dhabi GP: Massa ends his career with points finish
Discussion started by Williams F1 , 28/11/2016 10:08
Williams F1
28/11/2016 10:08
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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Ozzy Osbone
28/11/2016 15:31
Cheers Massa. Hope Rob doesn't get lonely without you and go into a sulk. Bye.

williams4284
29/11/2016 09:11
Glad this came to an end...

MartiniSalad
29/11/2016 14:48
Obrigado Felipe.

Stu69
29/11/2016 17:13
Thank goodness he has gone! How come he is getting a car for free for goodness sake!!! Like we are flush with cash!

I would rather have a young hot shot making mistakes every race but providing a talking point and getting air time than Massa trundling round half asleep!

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