Williams can catch Red Bull: Massa

Brazilian Felipe Massa feels he has turned a corner after his first podium of the season in Italy last time out and is cautiously confident his Williams team can catch Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.

Massa, who joined Williams at the start of the season after eight years with Ferrari, finished an emotional third at Monza at the home race for his former team which helped his new side move above his old colleagues in the constructors’ race.

Williams are third in the standings on 177 points, 15 ahead of Ferrari and 95 behind Red Bull, with six rounds remaining starting with Sunday’s Singapore race under the lights at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

“We’re planning to close the gap in every race…to catch even Red Bull which is a bit far, but you’ll never know,” the Brazilian told Reuters on Wednesday.

“Everything can change pretty quickly in Formula One in two or three races. The situation is different. Maybe we have the opportunity to fight for the second place.

“I think the work and the job we are doing this year is going very well. So there’s still a lot to improve in the second part of the season and also next year.”

Williams head of vehicle performance Rob Smedley was also wary of the demands that the Singapore race would put on his team this week.

“The track has a few issues that we have to work around, such as the lack of grip that on a normal track would improve, but here doesn’t,” he said in a statement.