The Massa story isn't over yet

When Ferrari decided to dispense with Felipe Massa's services after the 2013 season, ending a 12-year association with the Brazilian, his Formula 1 career looked all but over.

On one hand, you could say it was merciful after four woeful seasons in a frontrunning car but on the other, it was a great shame considering the highs the Brazilian reached in the early part of his Ferrari career, peaking with that title challenge in 2008.

Based on the figures, though, Massa's career was nosediving. Why would anyone want to sign a driver who scored just eight podiums in four years, when his team-mate Fernando Alonso managed 42, of which 11 were wins, in the same period? For many, Massa had had his chance in F1 and it was now time to move on.

But Williams took a punt last year - and you could argue the 34-year-old did the same based on the Grove-based team's disastrous season the previous year - and it has paid off.

By the first race of 2014, Massa's infectious smile was back and after some bad luck at the start of the season, he found himself challenging for victory on outright pace at the finale in Abu Dhabi.

Schumacher brought the best out of Massa when they were at Ferrari © LAT

This year, he has been super-consistent, getting everything out of the Williams in the first four races. Massa looks revitalised and has proved that leaving Ferrari was the best thing he could have done.

Key to Massa's early success at Ferrari was that he got on well with his team-mate Michael Schumacher. The seven-time world champion made him feel welcome and wanted Massa to do well as his own career was coming to an end.

And after Rob Smedley came in as his race engineer when he split with Gabriele dell Colli after four races, everything really clicked into place. Massa won twice that season and got close to Schumacher.

In 2007, he showed flashes of pace but it was the next season in which the Brazilian excelled. Watch a clip of his pass on Lewis Hamilton at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix. And then watch it again. It was phenomenal. Massa was showing that he wasn't afraid to push the limit and had genuine speed, although he still needed more consistency.

He was unfortunate that three laps from the end of that race, his engine expired. Combine that with the fuel-hose debacle in Singapore later that season and you'll find where the title was really lost. Ultimately, though, those factors were out of his control and he did the best job he could with what he had.

Massa survived an awful accident the following year in Hungary, missing the remainder of the season before recovering to return in 2010. It's difficult to say whether the accident impacted on his form - but the Brazilian is insistent that it hasn't.

However, the same cannot be said of Alonso's arrival in 2010.

Massa held the Spaniard at bay in that year's Australian Grand Prix, costing his team-mate second, maybe even a win.

Massa would soon get a fateful radio call at Hockenheim in 2010 © LAT

Alonso's management held talks with Ferrari afterwards to ensure that didn't happen again and the Brazilian was put in his place, his fate sealed. The relationship was the complete opposite of that with Schumacher.

Months later at the German Grand Prix, he was given that infamous radio message - 'Fernando is faster than you' - and his hopes of a first win since 2008 ended when he yielded first position to Alonso. That run of events hit Massa's confidence hard - as it would any driver in that situation - and it took him a long time to recover.

The 2011 season was woeful and '12 went the same way before his form picked up towards the end as he battled to save his seat. A strong start to 2013, including a podium at the start of the year in Spain, was encouraging but he lost his way again - and this time, there was to be no saving grace.

When he signed for Williams, a team that had just finished ninth in the constructors' championship, it looked like his hopes of winning another race - let alone putting together a title challenge - were slim. But the combination of struggling driver and struggling team has proved to be a catalyst for both.

Massa is an emotional person and the new welcoming surroundings of Williams meant he felt like he belonged again. The team was fighting for him. He made an instant impression, too, with chief technical officer Pat Symonds impressed with Massa and his ideas, work ethic and professionalism.

Despite most believing Valtteri Bottas was the quicker Williams man, it was Massa who became the only non-Mercedes driver to take pole all season in Austria and backed that up with a podium - only his fourth since 2010 - in Italy before another followed on home soil in Brazil.

And it was Massa who almost snatched victory from Hamilton at the season finale in Abu Dhabi by personally making the riskier strategic decision to switch to super-soft tyres to open up the chance of a win.

Massa ended 2014 on a high with Abu Dhabi second place © LAT

When asked about his plans for the future during a media session at this year's Australian Grand Prix, Massa smiled and responded immediately that he has no interest in doing anything other than F1.

Had he been asked the same question at the end of 2013, his answer would likely not have been the same. The stifling conditions at Ferrari now in the past, Williams was letting Massa breathe again.

Massa could have left F1 with a very respectable 11 wins and 36 podiums. But he didn't. He stayed and chose to fight on with Williams.

It was a gamble, because the Williams turnaround was not expected and Massa risked ending his career tripping over other drivers in the midfield before exiting the sport without so much as a whimper. That would have a been a shame, considering this was a man who came within seconds of becoming world champion before having it snatched away from him in a cruel turn of fate.

Now he is reaping the rewards of taking a risk and looks to have his mojo back.

Most encouragingly for him, he has proved that he is quick and still improving.

"I have worked with him for many years and I am still seeing him develop," said Smedley.

Close pal Smedley is adamant Massa is back to his best at Williams © XPB

"I think one of the biggest changes that I have seen in Felipe over the last year-and-a-half is where he has got his head to - so he's very comfortable with himself and with his surroundings now.

"What we are seeing at the minute is definitely the best Felipe Massa that we have seen, definitely as good as 2008."

Massa agrees and speaks like a man who is enjoying Formula 1 as much as ever.

"I feel really good, I feel I'm driving really well and I can use the car in the best way," he said.

"It's nice to have that feeling, it gives you extra confidence, and the team is taking in everything you say to give you what you want.

"The driver cannot do anything alone, you need to have the whole group working and I think that counts a lot for me."

It has been 109 races since Massa last climbed onto the top step of the podium. If the Brazilian ends that run, he'll hold the record for the most starts between grand prix wins.

There's no doubting it will take a huge step from Williams to give him the car to do so, but given the opportunity, Massa is proving he is still good enough to make it happen.