The 34-year-old will contest his 14th season of grand prix racing in 2016, and his third with Williams as he enters the final year of his existing contract with the Grove-based squad.

And despite the length of time he has spent in F1, Massa says his motivation remains undimmed – and insists he wishes to stay in the sport long enough to experience the sweeping technical rule changes that are set to be introduced in 2017.

“Time passes, but I’m still motivated,” Massa told Motorsport.com. “I want to keep going until I have the satisfaction of being part of a competitive team.

“I think I can still have a lot to give to my team and F1. When I joined Williams, the team was back from the worst season in their history, and I had the opportunity to be part of their recovery process.

“And if in the near future there’s a regulation change, I would like to have the chance to experience a new generation of car.

“I hope to do two or three more seasons, and I hope to be driving a car that’s more fun.”

Asked what he felt could be improved about F1, Massa said fans needed to take account of the sport’s previous dominant eras when criticizing the lack of on-track action at the front of the field amid Mercedes’ current hegemony.

“I believe people want to see more fights for the lead," said the Brazilian. "But if you look at the past, there were a lot periods like this one with Mercedes.

“I remember Williams' golden age, then Ferrari’s, then Red Bull’s and now Mercedes’. It’s nothing new.



“People talk about Senna's era, but there were seasons when they lapped the third-placed car. Some people like to talk about the past, but they don't remember exactly how it was.”

He added: “Sure, there are things that we could do better, like the engine sound and more generally how we interact with the public. I hope to be still on the track when something changes.”

Interview by Roberto Chinchero