Massa holds onto retirement car because 'it's mine!'

London - Felipe Massa says he will not have to hand back the Formula 1 car gifted to him by Williams for his retirement.

Amid his emotional farewell to the sport late last year, the British team promised to give the Brazilian the 'Massa'-branded car with which he raced at Interlagos.

Short-lived retirement

However, Massa's eventual retirement was short-lived, as he is now returning to Williams for 2017 to replace the Mercedes-bound Valtteri Bottas.

Italy's Corriere dello Sport quotes 35-year-old Massa as saying: "I wish him (Bottas) well now that he has this opportunity to go to Mercedes. He is going to the team that has won the last three championships and I am sure they will be competitive this year."

READ: F1 - Bottas' 1-year Mercedes deal explained

As for his gifted 2016 Williams, meanwhile, Massa grinned: "It's mine! It's mine!

"I saw it at the factory a few days ago and it still had my name written on it.

"What happened in the last races was incredible, especially in Brazil. It was a perfect ending, but then things changed and I followed my heart."