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- On Thursday at Spa-Francorchamps, ahead of the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, the unlikely pairing of Williams ‘George Russell and Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was the first presser of the day.
- The two drivers will fight for the same starting position at Mercedes in the coming season.
- The drivers do not say whether the driver’s decision was made by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolf.
Formula 1 has this weird way of holding pre-race press conferences this season.
In the past, drivers met the media in 10 pairs per team – two Haas drivers, followed by two Alfa Romeo drivers, two Williams drivers, two Red Bull drivers, etc. This year, F1 is bringing things up the point by bringing drivers into the bullring of the press conferences ahead of the race weekend in seemingly random pairings.
On Thursday at Spa-Francorchamps, ahead of the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, the unlikely pairing of Williams ‘George Russell and Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was the first presser of the day. This had the potential to be extremely interesting. Both drivers fight alongside Lewis Hamilton as Hamilton’s team-mate at world champion Mercedes for one of the most coveted spots in racing.
Bottas and Russell have a bit of history too, as the two crashed in Imola earlier this season.
There they sat side by side – separated in chairs more than two meters apart, as required by Formula 1 in a pandemic – and ready to tell the world that Russell would actually replace Bottas next year. Or not. Both drivers took the Formula 1 summer break and talked as if they were expecting a decision during the break.
This press conference had all the must-see ingredients they say on TV.
Williams ‘George Russell and Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (right) met the media in Belgium on Thursday.
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The sound you’re about to hear is the air escaping from the big balloon when the drivers were asked the multi-million dollar question: Do you already know what you’re going to do next year?
“No news yet,” said Bottas. “Who knows? Maybe I know something, maybe not. But like I said, there is no news.”
Russell, a Williams driver with close ties to Mercedes, also followed the company’s line.
“There is no news at this point,” said Russell. “Of course in discussions about the summer break, but this weekend and probably not next weekend either, to be honest, there is nothing to announce either way. What I think is not a problem. Better do it right than quickly, say weather.” “
The drivers do not say whether the decision was made by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolf. And they seemed to be smiling under their COVID-mandated face masks.
“Our personal relationship is fine,” said Russell, who will start his 50th F1 race this weekend. “We are competitors and it is rare that two Formula 1 drivers or two competitors are best friends, but Valtteri and I are both grown-ups. We have evolved from everything in the past and at least on my part there are no problems. “
Bottas added: “Everything is fine, everything is fine. Thanks for asking.”
The delay in the decision, or at least the announcement, seems to put the loser of the Mercedes derby for 2022 in a certain dilemma.
“We are both fortunate that we are both looked after by Mercedes in some way, and we both trust that they will look after our future in one way or another,” said Russell. “From my side there are no real problems. Whether tomorrow or after Abu Dhabi (at the end of the season), you have to trust the people who take care of you.”
While Russell would likely have his seat at Williams if he didn’t get the Mercedes drive, the situation at Bottas is a bit more fluid as he would instantly become the top free agent in Formula 1.
“Things will take care of themselves at some point, and we’ll see.”
“From my point of view, that’s not a problem,” said Bottas. “It’s nothing new to me. The overall situation, I’m getting on really well with it. Just really relax and concentrate on the weekend, and I’m pretty sure that the next three weeks with the triple header will definitely go by in a flash and.” wir “We’re in a pretty good fight for hour hands as a team and that’s the main focus. Things will take care of themselves at some point, and we’ll see. “
It is possible that a driver decision has been made, but Mercedes is delaying the announcement.
“There’s no news to share,” Bottas continued. “I don’t have to give reasons and it’s the same for me and George that we have a job to do here and there is no news and we will focus on racing and getting maximum points for the teams that we do are.” Run for. ”
And that’s why it’s called the silly time of year.
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