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Massa may call it a day at the end of 2016

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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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.