Williams driver Felipe Massa is confident he can give the Mercedes juggernaut a run for its money in Sunday’s Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The Brazilian accepts that Mercedes are still the team to beat ahead of the season-opening race in Melbourne, but is confident a productive off-season has helped Williams close the gap.

“We are getting close (to a win), we are learning all the time as a team,” Massa said on Wednesday.

“Maybe we missed some opportunities last year, but I’m sure we are a much stronger team this year.

“We know it’s not easy because Mercedes is very strong, but I’m really looking forward to having a good race and giving them a hard time.”

The rest of the grid have the job ahead of them this season after reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton and teammate Nico Rosberg finished first and second in last year’s drivers’ championship, while Mercedes took out the constructors’ championship by a handsome margin.

Williams jostled with Ferrari and Red Bull to reel in the pacesetting Mercedes last year, but Massa’s stablemate Valtteri Bottas said his team shouldn’t be content simply to maintain the status quo.

“I think our goal should be not just to keep that level – we want to improve all the time,” Bottas said.

“I really hope we can be in a better position this year than we were last year.

“Mercedes is still going to be No.1, at least in the beginning of the season, but we’re working hard.”