Felipe Massa has expressed his belief that Williams are on the right track to rediscover their former glories in Formula 1.

Massa agreed to join Williams for the 2014 season earlier this week, ending an eight-year stint with Ferrari to join the struggling team.

The 32-year-old acknowledged that his new team were going through a rough patch, but insisted that he saw enough before joining them to convince him that they would soon become a force in the sport once again.

"I'm very enthusiastic and happy to have signed a contract with Williams. I'm really looking forward to this challenge in my career. I'm very motivated. They are a big team, and I was really surprised with what I saw. They have the infrastructure to do a good job, and they are trying to put the pieces together," Massa told PA.

"They have been changing so many pieces inside the team to try and get themselves back to where they were. They are a competitive team with a long history in Formula One. This is a very difficult time for them, and this is a very difficult championship. But there are so many things going on inside the team, with so many people that are different, working for next year's car.

"They also have the Mercedes engine, which I am very happy with because people have been talking very well about Mercedes engines for next year. Aerodynamics remains an important point, and that is something they are changing in the way they are working on that for next year. They really are trying to get back to being a competitive team, so they are changing even the drivers. So many things are changing inside the team which is interesting and important, not just for next year, but for the long-term future."

Williams have picked up just one point in this year's constructors' championship.