Bottas on leaving Mercedes: 'It was the same situation'

12:59, 09 Sep 2021
2 Comments

Valtteri Bottas' contract extension has been pretty much the most talked about topic this season. The Finnish driver finally made the switch to Alfa Romeo this month, where he should play a key role.

It has not been easy for Bottas to keep performing in recent months. The driver received a lot of criticism for his performance, while the name of George Russell was mentioned a lot when it came to his successor. It was therefore only a matter of time until Mercedes would tie the knot.

For Bottas, however, the decision was clear. "It was the same situation in the spring and summer with Mercedes, that at some point you had to start talking about a new contract," he told the Finnish MTV Sport. "The way it went and the mood I was in, and actually the team as well, made us pretty much agree that this was the way to go."

Mercedes goes on with Russell

Mercedes clearly chooses to rejuvenate the team next season. The German team has appointed Russell next to Lewis Hamilton who did well at Williams this season. It remains to be seen if he can do the same when he is in a Mercedes.

2 Comments
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Mech Engineer 09 September 2021 at 13:32+ 55040

Mercedes have been offering Bottas only year-to-year contracts to evaluate his performance for the season and also to see if there are any better options available that the team can sign up for the following year. If there isn't one, he gets extended by another year. He has already got that life line for 4 seasons. The time has finally come that Mercedes have evaluated his performance so far this season and it hasn't been up to the required standard and there is a far more talented driver able to be signed up, so its like 'thanks for your assistance for the past 5 years, but its time to part company'.

Andrew Pepper 09 September 2021 at 14:28+ 115

...Hilarious that he says' I would not have signed a one year deal'- sounds like he thinks he can relax on a 3 year deal. Oh yeah,he said that as well...