Former Formula One driver Felipe Massa signs three-year deal with Formula E team Ventura GP

Paris: Former Ferrari ace Felipe Massa has signed a three-year deal to race Formula E starting in the 2018-2019 season, his new Venturi team said on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_4206791” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Felipe Massa. AFP[/caption] “Today I am starting a new phase in my career, I just signed with Venturi GP team to race next season,” the 37-year-old Brazilian said on Twitter. Massa looked set to join Jaguar’s E team before extending his Formula One contract for three years," said Venturi, owned by Monaco real estate magnate Gildo Pastor. “For some years now, I’ve been clear about my interest in this innovative, forward-looking discipline,” Massa said. “I especially like the format of race meetings, the city-centre circuits and the contact with the fans,” added Massa, who begins testing next month. “Gildo (Pastor) has always been a step ahead when it comes to high-performance electricity vehicles.” Massa raced Formula One for 15 years and was runner-up in the world championship in 2008. In it’s third season, there are now eleven Formula E races – using fully electric cars – in cities such as New York, Hong Kong and Paris.