Formula 1: Felipe Massa to retire at the end of the season

Brazilian driver Felipe Massa will end his Formula 1 at the end of the year. The Williams driver announced his retirement ahead of the Italian Grand Prix this weekend. He has featured in Formula 1 for 14 years, won 11 races and grabbed 41 podium finishes. "This will be my last season in F1," 35-year-old Massa said during a press conference. "I will enjoy my last eight races in F1 as much as I've always done," he added. "I just want to say thank you to everybody who is around me and who have followed me in my career." The venue he has chosen for the announcement was not fortuitous, the Brazilian driver chose to reveal his retirement at Monza because that is where Michael Schumacher first retired from Formula 1 ten years ago. The decision that Schumacher announced at the time allowed Massa to remain at Ferrari. "Michael was a big feature on my career," he said. "I decided to do this here because of him." This year Massa earned just 39 points, and just three points in the last eight races. Team Williams have not revealed the identity of the driver who will replace massa for the 2017 season, but is seems fellow Brazilian driver Felipe Nasr is the favourite for the job. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas should remain with the team for next season. Massa started his Formula 1 career at Sauber back in 2002 and then joined Ferrari in 2006. The Italian team helped him finish second in the drivers' championship in 2008, just one point behind champion Lewis Hamilton. "I am very proud to have raced in F1 for so long," Massa said. "I achieved a lot more than l expected. Even if l lost the championship by a point l am very proud of my career and what l have achieved." Felipe Massa is 400/1 at Bet365 to win this weekend's Italian Grand Prix in Monza, while favourite Lewis Hamilton is 4/7 to win it.