According to a report in L'Equipe, Felipe Massa is currently in 'advanced talks' with Williams regarding reversing his decision to retire, putting in place plans for him to return to the team should Valtteri Bottas move to Mercedes.

Bottas' place at Williams suddenly looks doubtful as he emerged as the favourite to replace Nico Rosberg who shockingly retired from Formula 1 just days after winning his first title. Massa also stepped away from F1 after his 250th career start at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, however, if the team loses Bottas, Massa could be back in his overalls for 2017.

Contingency Plans

Although Williams has refused to give anything away when it comes to the news of Mercedes' approach for Bottas, the L'Equipe report suggests that a contingency plan is being put together by the team in preparation for his potential departure. According to technical chief Pat Symonds, Bottas' experience is a crucial factor for Williams in 2017 as they sign 18-year-old Canadian driver Lance Stroll.

Massa's extensive experience as an F1 driver makes him a perfect candidate to replace Bottas, and reversing his retirement would likely solve the potential dilemma that Williams face with a driver market currently fairly thin when it comes to available candidates that suit the position.

Too Good to Refuse?

Apparently, Mercedes are understood to have offered Williams, who purchase engines from them, huge discounts on their power units, along with driver Pascal Wehrlein, in exchange for Bottas joining the Mercedes team. But, the 22-year old Wehrlein has only experienced one season of Formula 1, leaving Williams worried that he does not have enough experience to balance fellow rookie Stroll, leaving the team vulnerable to a sharp decline in the Constructors' Championship.

However, whilst Mercedes engines may be available to Williams as much as £10m cheaper if they do decide to part with Bottas, the Grove outfit are currently carefully weighing up their options as the savings could easily be lost in prize money if they do not find a replacement for the driver who is just as good or even better. Whilst Bottas managed to earn more points than Massa during their three years of racing together, the F1 veteran showcased sharp skills at what currently stands as his final F1 race at Abu Dhabi, where he finished ninth overall after out-qualifying Bottas.

Announcements So Far

On Thursday 15th Dec, Williams confirmed that an announcement regarding Rosberg's replacement is not going to be made by Mercedes until in the New Year; a delay which suggests just how difficult and complex the situation that Williams and the world champions have found themselves in really is. Bradley Lord, head of the Mercedes team communications, sent a WhatsApp message to reporters which informed them that 'nothing is planned' for the team between now and their return to work in early January.

However, Thursday also saw Williams all but confirm the deal with Massa, after the deputy team principal Claire Williams made a statement to the BBC saying that Bottas was free to leave for Mercedes, but only if Williams were able to secure the services of an experienced replacement such as Massa. Claire Williams, the daughter of team chief Frank, said that she is 'delighted' to see that a team such as Mercedes is listing Valtteri Bottas as a potential replacement for Nico. She went on to say that they have 'always known' that Bottas is a key talent in the sport and are proud that this has been recognised by the championship leaders. Will you be betting on F1 if Massa returns to the sport? If so, don't forget to check out Bookmaker Ratings for a list of the best bookies to bet with.

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