Felipe Massa expects Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to be “tough”, with Williams only looking like the fifth fastest car at Yas Marina Circuit.
The Brazilian qualified eighth, only one tenth behind team-mate Valtteri Bottas in sixth, but both were outpaced by the Mercedes as well as the lead Ferrari, Force India and Red Bull. Massa entered the 2015 season finale eager to repeat Williams’ double podium performance from last year, but admits “the other teams were slower” in 2014.
“I don’t think it will be an easy race, it will be a tough race where we need to do everything perfectly because you can lose two or three positions,” the 11-time grand prix winner said. “It will be tight, like it was in qualifying.
“Red Bull was very quick on the long run, quicker than expected on Friday.
“[Force India] are very strong here, maybe even stronger than when they finished on the podium [in Russia]. Here, they have been strong in every session. It’s working really well for them on this track for whatever reason, how they are working the car, the tyres, etc.”
Although Williams has clinched third in the Constructors’ championship for the second consecutive time, the British outfit has seen the gap to the front grow this season. Massa thinks the difference lies in upgrading the car more consistently throughout the year.
“Ferrari has developed its car much better during the season. We see than they’ve brought pieces a lot more than us. For sure, they did a better job on development from the first race to the last one.
“And even Red Bull has improved more over the season compared to how we were at the beginning of the year. It can be that the last pieces we brought did not work like the last pieces they brought to the car.
“The only thing I can say is that we stopped earlier to concentrate on next year’s car compared to last year.”
Asked by F1i whether he was considering Force India – which is enjoying its best F1 season ever with fifth already secured in the Constructors' standings – as a potential threat for 2016, Massa replied:
“Maybe yes, I cannot say that we are slower than Force India. We are on this track, but we were not throughout the season. I believe we can do a better job, but we are struggling here [in Abu Dhabi].”
AS IT HAPPENED: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Qualifying
Between the lines at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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