F1: Massa is underestimated - Bottas

Felipe Massa's ability behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car is underestimated, according to his Williams teammate Valtteri Bottas.

The Brazilian's contract expires at the end of the season and while Massa is in contention to retain his seat, there are others believed to be higher on Williams's wanted list.

Massa has scored 38 points this season, 20 adrift of Bottas. He finished 15 points behind Bottas last year and 52 further back in 2014.

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"He is still quick," Bottas told Autosport. "He is underestimated, his skills and how he really can be. As a driver, your goal is always to be quicker than your teammate, which I feel I have achieved so far this season, like last year and the year before."

Bottas sees no reason why Massa's place in F1 next year should be in doubt.

"It depends on Felipe [whether he wants to continue] but personally, I see no reason why he would not continue," he said. "He is still driving very well. Maybe this year and last year, he has had fewer accidents than in his first year and years at Ferrari."

Williams technical director Pat Symonds said he was pleased with how Massa was performing.

"One of the aspects of the team I am happy with is the drivers," he told Autosport. "They push each other hard, have similar performance and they do it in a way that puts the team first. Felipe has continued to deliver very strong results and he's pleased me all the way through 2014, 2015 and continues to.

"He is really strong and he fights hard. He's not losing anything, that's for sure. He still has some years left in him, he's still very quick – as quick as he ever was.

"People forget he was so close to being a world champion [in 2008]. Had he achieved it in Brazil that day, he would have been a very worthy champion and I think it's a great shame he didn't win the championship."

Massa wants to stay at Williams for a fourth season as he still enjoys working with the team, but he has left the door open about a move to another outfit.

"I want to stay here but I want to race inside a team where I will be important and where you see it developing," he told Autosport. "Definitely I really enjoy working for Williams and if I can keep working for Williams I will be really happy, although I need to work for a team that will be a similar level."

Originally on Autosport.com