Williams has confirmed Felipe Massa has re-signed for the team for the 2017 season.
The Brazilian has signed a one-year deal with the British team in a remarkable turn of events where he had announced his retirement from the sport at the Italian Grand Prix back in September.
With Valtteri Bottas joining reigning champions Mercedes, Williams were very keen to have an experienced driver alongside 18-year-old rookie Lance Stroll with Massa being the only driver fitting their requirements.
“Firstly, I am very happy to have an opportunity to return to Williams,” said Massa. “I always intended to race somewhere in 2017, but Williams is a team close to my heart and I have respect for everything it is trying to achieve.
“Valtteri has a great opportunity, given the turn of events over the winter, and I wish him all the best at Mercedes.
“In turn, when I was offered the chance to help Williams with their 2017 Formula 1 campaign, it felt like the right thing to do. I certainly have not lost any of my enthusiasm for racing and I’m extremely motivated to be coming back to drive the FW40.
“The support from my fans over the last few weeks has been a huge boost and I’m grateful for that. I also look forward to working with Lance; I’ve known him for many years and seen his talent develop during that time, so I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
An official announcement from Mercedes is expected at 1500 GMT.
