It has been reported that the Williams F1 team will be testing Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta in  four year old car in the near future with a view to evaluating their potential to be in their car alongside Lance Stroll in 2018. While this test has yet to be officially confirmed by either team or drivers, it was a hot topic in the official Thursday press conference ahead of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

Speaking with Felipe Massa, naturally the first question was in regard to his future in the sport, considering that he is only here this season due to Nico Rosberg's retirement at the end of 2016 and the subsequent move of Valtteri Bottas from Williams to Mercedes.

He was also quizzed on the reports of this upcoming test and just what his plans for the future may be…

Felipe, let's start by talking about your future. This time last year you knew what you were going to be doing, or not doing, in 2017….
No, I didn't know anything last. What I decided didn't happen.

Well you weren't going to be racing in Formula One, that was the plan, but there seems to be some uncertainty now. Where are you at ion your head, how much do you want to stay in Formula One and how much do you want to stay at Williams?
To be honest in my head I'm pretty relaxed, so I'm enjoying and trying to do the best I can in the last races this year and I don't know what's going to happen next year. But I'm quite relaxed. I'm quite keen to do maybe another season. I think I can do it in a great way. I can give a lot to the team, like I did already and I think maybe I can do another year. But I don't decide; the team decides. Yeah, I'm pretty relaxed, trying to enjoy the races, trying to do the best I can in the car, trying to the give the best to the team, and that's the most important thing. I'm talking with the team definitely for next year and we are in discussion. So everything has some directions around, so I have my direction as well to follow, like a professional driver, like I was always in my career in Formula One and I am very happy for that. That's the way it is and definitely I can do a good effort for the team but we need to find a good solution to carry on in the right way, that everybody is happy. But anyway, I'm quite relaxed and definitely gave a lot to the team, to Formula One as well. If people are happy that I stay, I stay, and I will do everything I can to stay at the top level. But I'm quite relaxed and I'm trying to do my job in the right way in the last races and we'll see what's going to happen.

When do you need to know by? Have you given the team a deadline?
Well, we don't have a deadline. Definitely I think it would be good for the team and also for myself that we know what's going to happen before the race in Brazil. We'll see if this will be possible but I really hope so.

Turning to matters on track now, you hold the pole position record here at Suzuka, for your Q3 time in 2006. Tell us a little about what's the secret of stitching together a good lap here and indeed is there any advice you can give a rookie, like your team-mate Lance Stroll?
Yeah, I remember it was 2006, it was around 29.5 lap time. That was pretty amazing. A long time ago, many things change from that time to now. If you see also that the car we race now is one hundred and something kilos heavier than how it was the car in 2006. But maybe this year it can change. Maybe this year we can see some records around this track and I'm sure it will be great to driver the car we have this year on this track, which is definitely one of the best tracks in Formula One. I'm sure Sector 1 will be quite fun, but also quite difficult for all of us in terms of our neck and in the race and also to do one lap in qualifying will be pretty interesting, to see that feeling. Lance knows already the track, but definitely it is a different car so I think it will be nice for him to drive the car this year.

It's been reported that Williams are going to be evaluating Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta for next year. Knowing that, how does that factor into your plans for the future?
I think it doesn't change anything for me. So… it doesn't change anything for me. Williams know 100 per cent what I can give to the team and, even if you do a test with a car that is four years before, completely different. You cannot evaluate too much, as well. So, doesn't change anything for me, to be honest.

Felipe, will you attend that test?
No! I don't know. I don't know even if it's true, that test, or not. I don't know. To be honest… I don't know.