Felipe Massa says that his unexpected 2017 Formula 1 season -- a bonus season after he first announced his retirement in 2016 -- has been fun but not necessarily the highlight that he had hoped for ahead of his final home Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Entering the penultimate Grand Prix of his career –- one which will end on a total of 272 Grands Prix -- Massa, 36, was in a reflective mood in the prerace press conference. Missing out on a career-defining world title to Lewis Hamilton by a single point in 2008, Massa is seen as one of the nice guys in the paddock.

“Yeah (this is the end this time),” said Massa. “Actually, yeah it is my second retirement race in Brazil, l but this time it is the last one for sure in Formula 1. So definitely really looking forward to another amazing feeling to race at home and really enjoying the track which I grew up at for my last time in a Formula 1 car.

“(This season has) not been an amazing highlight, to be honest. I think the way that we started the season was not the same way that we finished the season, so definitely the car was more competitive at the beginning than at the end, so development was not great I would say this year."

Massa is 11th in the driver standings and has scored just 36 points after amassing 53 points last year. It is Massa's lowest point total in a season in which he has driven full time in the series since 2005.

“I think I definitely enjoyed driving the car for all these rules that have been changed from last year to this year. I think it’s a lot (of) fun, these cars to drive. A lot of downforce, which I’ve definitely enjoyed a lot.

“Unfortunately, I was a little bit unlucky in some races that I would have scored massive points but I couldn’t -- not because of my fault but because of some issues that we had in the car. I expected maybe a season that we could have been a bit more competitive than we were, but I definitely enjoyed having fun by driving the car. I’m happy that I’ve been able to take the best out of this car when I didn’t have any problems so and it was a season that I’ve enjoyed.”

Joining the Williams team from Ferrari in 2014, Massa helped to bring success back to Williams with five podium finishes in his first two seasons, but the last two years have seen a steady decline in form. Massa currently sits one place and four points behind rookie teammate Lance Stroll in the standings.

While Williams is fifth in the constructors’ standings, this doesn’t really reflect the pace of the 2017 car. Behind them sits Toro Rosso, which has fielded four different drivers this season, including F1 rookies Pierre Gasly and Brendan Hartley, and Renault, which recently dropped an underperforming Jolyon Palmer.

Massa said of the future of Williams: “I think it is important to change a little bit some ideas for the car, but I think that’s the way that Williams is going for next year. So, having a car that’s a little more different. The way they develop the car, the way they work the car, so I really hope that they can achieve that for next year and to the future.”

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