Williams driver Felipe Massa has said that a lack of a competitive drive at the end of next season could entice him to retire from Formula 1.
A veteran of 227 Grand Prix, the 34-year-old Brazilian who started his career with Sauber in 2002 is the third oldest driver on the grid behind Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button.
The 2008 runner-up in the World Championship has acquitted himself well since he joined Williams in 2014, contributing his consistency to the British outfit's results and comparing rather favorably with his highy-rated team mate Valtteri Bottas.
Contracted to Williams for one more year, Massa has said that if a competitive drive fails to materialize or should his motivation decline, he would most probably retire from Formula 1.
"Next year will be the last of my contract , so it will be an important season to understand if I continue or not," he told Brazilian website UOL.
"If I have an opportunity to continue with a competitive team , I will. Otherwise , I will stop. I'll remain in F1 if I have a team like Williams where I am happy, and they are happy to have me. When you love working with a team and they love you back, that's what give syou the motivation to continue."
Asked if a retirement from the sport would encourage him to return to Brazil, Massa said he wasn't sure.
"I don't know if I will move back to Brazil or continue living in Monaco. I also love Miami, so maybe I would live there. But I won't be racing in Nascar, as those guys race every weekend and my family would kill me!"
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