Bottas has Renault and Williams ‘offer’ – rumor (3rd Update)
10/07/16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has hinted that his future in F1 is now settled, even though Williams is yet to officially announce it.
It is now almost an open paddock secret that the British team will line up next year with the Finn alongside rookie Lance Stroll, the newly-crowned European F3 champion.
Spain's El Mundo Deportivo newspaper claims that Bottas has pushed for his extended contract to include a clause allowing him to leave in the event that Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari want to sign him.
When asked about his future at Sepang, Bottas told Finnish television MTV: "Maybe I know what I'm doing, maybe I don't.
"In any case, the time is getting closer."
When asked if he doesn't know or simply can't tell, the 27-year-old admitted: "I don't want to say. I hope that soon, everything will be 100 per cent ready."
Bottas was also asked about reports that, following a recent seat belt incident, Williams is testing the product of another manufacturer at Suzuka.
"We are testing it in practice," he said. "That's all I can say. Then we will decide what to do in the future."
08/30/16
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| Valtteri Bottas |
(GMM) Valtteri Bottas looks to have secured his future with Williams.
The Finn has been tentatively linked with a move to Renault, but the German-language Auto Bild as well as Speed Week report that a deal has been done on a new two-year Williams deal.
The timing of the reports is interesting, amid rumors Bottas had an option in his current deal that would need to have been taken up by Williams by the end of August.
However, sources indicate that Felipe Massa's deal is less likely to be renewed, with McLaren driver Jenson Button strongly linked with a return to Grove.
"I think as we have said very clearly we are very happy with the job Felipe and Valtteri have done for us," said team deputy Claire Williams.
"I know everybody is waiting for our announcement now that lots of other teams have made theirs, but we are not ready to announce our lineup for 2017 yet.
"We are working through all our options but I hope we will be able to make that announcement shortly," she added.
08/26/16
(GMM) Valtteri Bottas has refused to confirm or deny reports he has received an offer to switch to Renault for 2017.
Williams is openly re-thinking its current driver lineup but is thought to be keen to retain the 26-year-old Finn.
So when asked about the Renault rumors, Bottas told the Finnish broadcaster MTV at Spa: "I don't confirm anything.
"Whenever there is speculation, and in the last couple of years I've become used to it, then it is not always good to believe what is written. Some of it may be true but some is not," he said.
The latest speculation coincided with the summer break, and Bottas said the situation did not progress much in that time.
"Everyone was on holiday," he smiled. "I guess in the next couple of weeks, something could happen one way or another, and hopefully during September I will find out what color I will be wearing."
It is also rumored that Williams could reunite with Jenson Button next year, and perhaps pair him with Lance Stroll, whose father is a Canadian fashion billionaire.
Bottas, on the other hand, is not heavily sponsored.
"I do not have strong financial support, but I am very grateful to my sponsors for what I do have. It cannot be compared to the money that other drivers apparently have, but the situation is what it is.
"I hope that the team I will be with next season will appreciate my professional skills, not my money," he added.
Bottas' current teammate, Felipe Massa, is also waiting for Williams' news, and he said it is expected "soon".
One rumor is that Massa is eyeing a move to Formula E, but when asked, the Brazilian only told Brazil's UOL: "Whatever happens will be good, no doubt."
08/08/16 (GMM) Valtteri Bottas has an "offer" to switch from Williams to the Renault works team for 2017.
That is the claim of Oskari Saari, the F1 commentator for Finnish television MTV.
Williams is obviously toying with the notion of replacing both Bottas and Felipe Massa for 2017, amid speculated links with Jenson Button, Lance Stroll, Daniil Kvyat, Sergio Perez, Felipe Nasr and others.
According to Saari, 26-year-old Bottas could either stay with the Grove team or decide to move to Renault.
"It is impossible to get a comment from those involved, especially the drivers at this time of the year," he told the Danish newspaper BT.
"Valtteri is saying nothing, but let me put it like this: I know for sure that he has offers from both Williams and Renault at the moment," Saari added.