5dfbac70db4199fffb1c3adb8c22b5c3b30bcc94

Bottas sad to see former team Williams struggling

13:41, 29 Jun 2018

byJake Williams-Smith

Valtteri Bottas admitted he is sad to see Williams struggling so much. The Finn began his Formula One career with the Williams team but left them after the 2016 season to replace the retiring Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.

Bottas was active for a while at Williams before he made the switch to Mercedes. He switched teams when Nico Rosberg suddenly announced his retirement from F1 at the end of the 2016-season, which left Mercedes desperate to replace the then newly crowned champion. It cost the Silver Arrows quite a lot to buy out the Fin's contract at Williams, but with the success Bottas has had at Mercedes, it looks to have been a good call.

Speaking to the media before the Austrian Grand Prix, Bottas said that he felt sorry for the Williams team as their 2018 woes continue.

“For sure it’s a legendary and with a lot of history in Formula 1.

“They’re struggling even more than what we did in 2013 which was my debut year.

“I know it’s tough for everyone there going through difficult times. Obviously they just have to keep pushing and I think everyone hopes they do well.

“It’s a nice team, nice people, I enjoyed everything with them so for sure it’d be nice to see them closer back at the top.”

Williams finds themselves rooted to the bottom of the constructor standings still with just four points, they are the only team to not break into double digits in 2018.