MONZA, Italy -- Felipe Massa has revealed he made up his mind on retirement before the summer break and did not enter into negotiations with any team about a drive in 2017.
On the media day for this weekend's Italian Grand Prix Massa called time on his 15-year career, which will end at the season finale at Abu Dhabi. It comes after months of speculation about Massa being replaced by Jenson Button at the conclusion of his contract at the end of this year.
However, Massa confirmed he decided on his future plans before the summer break.
"I have known for a few months," he said at the press conference. "And I did not speak to any other teams, even Williams, about 2017."
"Sometimes maybe when I said 'I want to stay', I was not lying, but it was not exactly what was happening. I wanted the opportunity to this moment that everyone remembers."
Massa's switch to Williams in 2014 kept him on the grid after a seven-year stint at Ferrari. Though he eventually signed with Williams Massa admitted considering calling time on his career at the end of his spell with F1's most famous team.
"I was thinking to do it myself three years ago. When I was sure when this was going to be the time [this year], I needed to decide and needed to be strong enough to decide things. Sometimes it can be quite difficult but it's a relief."
Speaking about his reasoning for announcing at Monza, Massa referred back to Michael Schumacher's first announcement in 2006. That came when Schumacher was teammates with Massa but the team had already signed Kimi Raikkonen for the 2007 season.
"I am choosing this place, this race, because ten years ago Michael announced his retirement. The only way for me to stay in Ferrari was because he stopped, because Kimi had signed his contract before me at Ferrari. He chose to stop to give me this opportunity. And here is like almost my second country, a country I really love."