Former Ferrari stalwart Jean Alesi believes that Felipe Massa would be making a mistake should he decide to stay with Williams for one more season following his initial retirement announcement.
With Mercedes placing protégé Pascal Wehrlein at Sauber, a move which all but confirms Valtteri Bottas move to the German outfit and Felipe Massa remaining with Williams, the final pieces of Formula 1's jigsaw appear to be falling in place.
But Alesi contends that Massa's will to rescind his decision to retire and remain a Grand Prix driver in 2017 is wrong.
"Honestly to me this is a mistaken decision," Alesi explained in an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Felipe has stopped, he’s turned a page. And what if he discovers that the Williams isn’t quick?”
As a veteran of 250 races and having enjoyed a career which spanned 14 years, Massa's decision to retire appeared to have been taken for all the right reasons. His year was capped off with an emotional farewell at his home race in Brazil and a tribute by Williams at the final round in Abu Dhabi.
Alesi also dwelled on Nico Rosberg's decision to call it a day, which the Frenchman did not understand initially as a freshly crowned world champion.
"To start with I thought the same as Lauda; I was surprised and angry. Let’s say I didn’t really get the logic of announcing your retirement the same week in which you won the title.
"But then I thought about it some more and I thought of Senna, of how he said he would drive for Williams for nothing and how hard he worked to make it happen and then he died. Perhaps Nico just didn’t feel like racing anymore."
Key dates for the 2017 F1 season
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