Bottas no longer had a contract with Mercedes at the end of the year. His future will be an important point in the 2022 driver market as the team has proposed signing George Russell.
Russell has been part of the Mercedes junior driver program since 2017 and has impressed during his time at Williams since his F1 debut in 2019 as well as his one-off appearance for Mercedes in Sakhir last year.
But Bottas said on the Thursday before the French Grand Prix that he “hadn’t really thought about it” to focus on his performances on the track instead of being distracted by speculation about his future.
“Of course you can’t always block the noise, and every season is the same: the same questions and the same speculations, that’s part of the sport,” said Bottas, who has always had one-year contracts since joining Mercedes in 2017.
“So I think it’s a little early to answer that in detail. We haven’t really talked about a deal with Mercedes yet, and that will come at some point.
“Now it’s just really the focus for this triple header, and we may see that at some point, but there’s nothing more to say at this point.”
Also read:
Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A521 and Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Bottas had a difficult start to the 2021 season, only achieved three podium positions in the first six races and finished one race no higher than third, making him sixth in the drivers’ standings.
It has sparked growing speculation about the Finn’s future, but Bottas made it clear he hadn’t given any indication from Mercedes that he wouldn’t be signed for the next year.
“With Toto [Wolff]”We talk a lot, that’s normal for us, and we’ve been talking lately too,” said Bottas.
“That’s normal. But I can confirm that, at least nobody told me that [not being retained]So yes, that’s not true, that’s speculation.
“I’m sure there are all kinds of non-factual speculation. People try to make up stories just for the clicks. That’s how it works. “
Mercedes usually started talks with Bottas about a new F1 deal during the summer break, with its contract for 2021 announced last August.
Bottas said that “every year is different” when it comes to the timing of the talks and currently had no idea whether he would be at Mercedes next year or not.
“It depends on how your season has gone and on the overall situation of the team, whether you are looking for other options or not at all,” said Bottas.
“A few years was earlier, a few years later, so that’s not the norm.
“But I can only say that we want to concentrate on the next three races. It will demand a lot from us as a team before we make decisions together.
“And my gut feeling right now, I haven’t really allowed myself to think about it because it can become a distraction, I’ve learned that.
“So it will come at some point. And so the stomach says nothing for the time being. I just want to win races and get the results that I personally strive for. “
The post Bottas doesn’t let the future of Mercedes F1 become a distraction first appeared on monter-une-startup.
