Valtteri Bottas says things should be on the move soon, as he jokes about having coffee at Williams motorhome in Imola.
While there was some movements at the end of Stake F1 Team’s Bottas ahead of the Imola GP weekend, but what created a stir was the Finn’s visit to Williams motorhome on Saturday morning where he met with team boss and a friend James Vowles.
With Alexander Albon already set at Williams and Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber/Audi, Bottas has options but not as many. There were some links to Haas as well, but in public eyes, the visit to the Grove-based outfit’s motorhome has served rumours on the platter.
After qualifying, Bottas played down those speculations by joking about getting coffee and meeting his friend Vowles. “I just ran out of coffee at my motorhome, so I went to take some coffee,” he said. “Sometimes [we meet], he is a good friend of mine. [We talked] normal things about life.
“There are always rumours in this sport, so nothing to report at the moment,” summed up Bottas, who after the race hinted on a quicker resolution with options at hand. “Ideally, I think things next week [this week] will start to move, that’s the target,” he said. [I have] good options. As for having more coffee, I don’t know. I like coffee. I don’t know. We’ll se.”
Things didn’t move as much between Imola and Monaco which Bottas noted about too. He doesn’t wants to say anything unless there is pen to paper. “Nothing to really add from Imola,” he said. “I have not signed anywhere – at the moment. I said there’s only 100% when the pen hits the paper. In this sport, that’s how it works, so it’s never 100 percent.
“But yeah, I’ll still go for 99. I would like to be sorted soon, which is kind of the same thing for all the teams, I guess, because things are really moving. So hopefully, within the next weeks. I’m comfortable, and confident on things. No panic. We are not just talking to one team, lets put it that way.
“There are other teams we’re talking [to], but I have my clear priority for the future – which I’m not going to tell you.” As he said, Bottas is not closing any options whether it is Sauber/Audi, Williams, Haas or even Mercedes. But the Finn’s choice is a long-term contract to start with and a F1 team where he is wanted, not just as a filler but to be part of the whole project.
“That’s a rational response, when you’re in a situation that you are on the free market let’s say, you’re always looking around,” said Bottas. “So for a while now, it’s been different directions, not just one direction, because you can’t rely on something only one in this sport. That’s how it goes. So that hasn’t really changed.
“Discussions have been going on for some time, to different directions. But some progress is being made. But yeah, I’m not just relying on one option for sure. Long term, because I wouldn’t get one year somewhere just to be in F1, just to hang on. I need a long-term project with clear goals and with respect for what I can do and deliver.
“That’s really the main thing. And obviously, the faster the car the better. But the main thing is to have good security for years ahead, that we can work together for the goals that we set. As I said, I think at the moment everything is an option. But still, my preference is a long term deal.”
In the time at Sauber, Bottas has become a different personality to what he was at Mercedes. But it was on the team that allowed him to do so. If he moves away or even with Audi coming in, it will be a change of culture and ideology to a certain extent.
When asked if freedom will be part of decision making, Bottas noted about having the right compromise. Also, he doesn’t wish to wait much longer with any signing. “I’m sure that would be the right compromise,” he said. “I’ve been in the in the corporate world and I know that stuff. I can can deal with it.
“But the main thing is, like I mentioned earlier, my team needs to respect who I am, what I can deliver. But I’m sure always compromise can be found. I’m quite keen, like I wouldn’t wait for the August break, I think that will be too late on a season like this. So yeah, pretty keen. No like panic at the moment as I said.”
Bottas is more involved in the discussions since it is his future but he is not into everything where his manager takes the step. “I am involved, and I’ve always been involved personally, but obviously, then during the race weekend, I don’t have time to have multiple meetings here and there,” he continued.
“Another one, I also need to focus on my job, which is performing on track so, if I feel like I don’t have capacity, then I have people, especially Didi [Didier Coton, manager, ed.], who’s helping me a lot on that. But I always like to be involved because, in the end, it is my future.”
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