A decision on Valtteri Bottas’ future was expected during the three-week competition break, but no such decision has been heard yet.
Valtteri Bottas the future in Formula 1 is still open, although the series returns to real action this weekend in Austin, USA. News about Bottas’ future was expected during the break, but Sauber still hasn’t announced its second driver for next season Nico Hülkenberg’s alongside.
German newspaper Bildin and a Swiss magazine According to Blick in the background is Bottas’ salary request. Bild claimed that Bottas is gambling with his F1 future by asking for too much money. However, Bottas denied to the F1 media on Thursday in Austin that money was an issue.
However, Bottas admitted that he would have hoped for a solution to the contract issue during the break. He pushed the question of his future Mattia to Binotto. The former Ferrari team manager has been appointed as the new chief of Sauber, which is changing to Audi. Binotto replaced the previous Audi F1 project bosses in July.
– I think this question (about the future) belongs more to Mattia than to me, Bottas said, among others, according to Motorsport Week.
According to Bottas, he has received a message that he cannot do anything right now. According to Bottas, the continuation is not in his hands.
– Of course I will try to do my best this weekend. Hope that clears things up. However, this is the situation we are in, Bottas described and said that he is now waiting for the green light for his extension contract.
“I just have to trust Mattia”
Sauber has had a sad season. The team is the only one that has not collected a single point this season.
– I don’t want it to be a headline that I’m frustrated. It’s a hard word, but it’s hard, Bottas described his experiences according to the news agency Reuters.
– It’s hard to show what you can do. Also for those people who make decisions in big companies. They tend to look at results in their decisions.
In the speculations, young drivers have been offered as the second driver of the Audi project, such as the leader of the F2 series Gabriel Bortoleto and with Williams in his first F1 races in the fall, he was brilliant Franco Colapinto. Also Mick Schumacher’s the name has come up again in speculation.
However, champion driver Bottas wants to remain positive in the situation. In his own opinion, the Finn has deserved to continue in the team and feels himself to be the best option for the team.
– It’s not easy to shine at the moment, they say. I just have to trust Mattia. He knows what he gets from me, Bottas described.