Valtteri Bottas has stated that if he leaves Mercedes at the end of the 2021 season, he will consider his alternative options in order to stay on the Formula One grid in 2022.
With Mercedes announcing Lewis Hamilton’s new two-year contract deal over the weekend in Austria, all focus is now on which driver will partner him next season.
Bottas and George Russell are the two options, exactly as they were before the 2021 season, with rumours circulating that Russell will make his big break at the Silver Arrows next year.
Bottas has stated that he has not yet been informed by Mercedes about a decision for 2022, but that he will consider his alternatives to stay in Formula One because he believes he still has “many, many years” of racing left in him.
“For me I just realised it is already July and the August break is only two races away after this one, so soon we will have to discuss, but not today or not tomorrow,” Bottas told reporters after qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix.
“First I want to get the understanding from the team, what is the plan, which driver they want in the other car. Lewis is confirmed, the other is still free, so the team needs to decide and I need to have that discussion.
“But I also feel I still have many, many years still left in me, I enjoy racing, I love racing, I love Formula 1, so it’s definitely not time to go to other forms of motorsport in the coming years.
“If that wasn’t the case that I wouldn’t continue with Mercedes, of course I would look at other options, but it is not something I need to think about now and I also have good management team, and they haven’t told me anything yet.”
Bottas’ most realistic and possibly only option if Mercedes does not retain his services for another season is to return to Williams. With much of the F1 2022 grid already filled, this may be his only choice.
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