Felipe Massa is relishing following in the footsteps of a number of his idols when he sits behind the wheel of a Williams for the first time having signed for the Grove-based team for next season.

The 32-year-old will end a run of eight years with Ferrari later this month, but will remain in Formula 1 after agreeing this new deal.

Massa will become the latest boy from Brazil to race for Williams after it was announced he would replace Pastor Maldonado next season.

Fellow countryman Nelson Piquet won his third and final drivers’ championship with Williams in 1987, while compatriots Aytron Senna and Rubens Barrichello have also turned out for the team.

“Williams is one of the most successful and important teams of all time in Formula 1,” said Massa, who will partner Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas next season.

“It is also nice to remember that some of the best Brazilian drivers raced for Williams.

“When I was a kid, I always dreamed about racing for Williams, Ferrari or McLaren, and I'm glad to be signing with another icon of the sport following my time at Ferrari”

Williams have been uncompetitive so far this season with Maldonado’s tenth-place finish in Hungary their only championship point to date, but Massa believes he is joining a strong outfit.

“I’m really looking forward to having a good car,” he said. “I’m happy to be here, I think I chose the right team.

“I am lucky, I raced for Ferrari for a long time and now I am moving to Williams, which is a very famous team in Formula 1.”

Massa came close to securing the 2008 drivers’ title during his time with the famous Italian manufacturer, but lost out by a single point to Lewis Hamilton, who overtook Timo Glock in to the final corner on the last lap to deny him.

The sport will undergo several rule changes next season.

And Massa is hoping his 11 years in the sport can help him adjust to the changes.

He said: “I don’t remember seeing so many new rules in a single season, and I’m fully prepared to work with everyone at Grove to make sure we find the right direction.”

Team principal Sir Frank Williams said: “Massa is an exceptional talent and a real fighter on the race track.

“He also brings a wealth of experience as we begin a new chapter in our story.”

Maldonado, winner of the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix for Williams, is a candidate to replace Kimi Raikkonen at the Enstone-based Lotus team.

McLAREN are reported to have have decided to sign novice Kevin Magnussen as Jenson Button’s teammate next year in place of Sergio Perez.