WILLIAMS driver Felipe Massa described Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix as the most difficult of the season after the Brazilian salvaged a point from the principality.

The 35-year-old, who qualified 14th, took advantage of changing weather conditions to move through the pack to finish tenth.

It turned out to be a frustrating day for the Grove-based team, as Valtteri Bottas was demoted a place to 12th after being handed a ten-second time penalty for colliding with Esteban Gutierrez.

After beginning in wet conditions behind the safety car, Massa was thankful to at least cross the finish line in a race won by world champion Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.

“It was a very tough day, having to start in the wet,” he said.

“It was looking like a very difficult race to finish, so the positive thing is I managed that.

“It was definitely the most difficult race weekend of the season so far, but one point is better than zero.”

Williams remain fourth in the constructors’ championship, but Finn Bottas was left frustrated as he continued his points drought at Monaco.

“It was of course disappointing to finish outside the points,” he said.

“I think we really need to look at our strategy and why we lost a good position after the track was starting to dry.

“It’s possible we stopped at the wrong time, but the conditions were tricky and it wasn’t an easy race.”