OMNISPORT

Felipe Massa believes Formula E can be a similar spectacle to Formula One if stars like Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen join him in the series.

Massa, 37, called time on his F1 career at the end of the 2017 season with Williams, but he has agreed a deal to race in Formula E for Venturi from December. Formula E's three champions, Nelson Piquet Jr, Sebastien Buemi, and Lucas di Grassi, have all featured in F1, but Massa would like to see a different caliber of driver join him in switching classes.

The Brazilian highlighted the trio of former F1 title winners as candidates to do just that.

"I really believe many other F1 drivers will join Formula E in the future," Massa told Omnisport. "We do not know what is going to happen to Fernando, Kimi and also Jenson. I welcome them in Formula E and perhaps we could still have fun in this championship, as we already did in F1."

The Brazilian has been getting used to the electric car ahead of the new season and is raring to get going.

"I have tested the Formula E car that will race next season," he said. "It was an amazing feeling and we managed to do many laps, learning how to drive a completely different car. The battery is the key, the engine is different and so is the downforce and the way of driving. It was a completely new experience for me. It was important to do some laps, hopefully we can do some more and be competitive straight away."

Williams finished fifth in the F1 constructors' championship last year but have slipped to the bottom of the standings in Massa's absence.

The former Ferrari man is disappointed to see established teams like Williams and McLaren - regular title challengers in the 1980s and 90s - lagging behind the rest.

"I was racing four years at Williams, so it is sad to see Williams struggling like that," he said. "I hope they can be back in the fight and find the way to improve. McLaren have been struggling in the last few years now and they still are even now with a different engine supplier. Teams like Williams and McLaren should be fighting at the front, not at the back."