Massa feels he gave fans perfect send off

Felipe Massa says he finally got the kind of finish he wanted to sign off his F1 career on home soil, as his Williams team is expected to step up its test programme with Robert Kubica as his possible replacement.

Massa will retire from the sport after the Abu Dhabi GP later this month, and took seventh place on his final Brazilian GP. Massa had expected to retire last year but was recalled at late notice by Williams. He received a big fanfare after crashing out of last year’s race in the wet, but this time around said he felt he’d done the fans proud.

“I was so emotional when I finished the race,” said Massa, who received a radio message from his son, Felipe Jr, on the cool-down lap. “For me it was as hard as many victories I took.

“Today was definitely like a victory and to finish the race and feel the emotion of the people was amazing. I knew I had so much love last year, but I didn’t finish the race like I wanted. Today I did. That’s why I did another year!”

Williams has yet to announce Massa’s replacement, with Paul di Resta, Daniil Kvyat and Kubica all on the team’s shortlist.

Kubica is understood to have been lined up to drive the team’s 2017 car in the post-abu Dhabi tyre test. The Pole has completed two tests in a 2014 car already, but this would be his first opportunity in the current Williams car.