“Lewis told me directly that he still wants me as a teammate”– Valtteri Bottas claims Lewis Hamilton does not prefer George Russell.
Valtteri Bottas is only an announcement away from getting axed from Mercedes, but now he informs that his contract getting extended is still a possibility.
His teammate and the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is reportedly lobbying for Bottas, and now according to the Finn race driver, the Briton actually wants him over George Russell.
“Yes, Lewis has told me quite directly that he would like me to be his teammate,” said Bottas, speaking to Finnish television station MTV Sport. “Together, we can do very well.
“The fact is, drivers can’t make a terrible impact on it. There’s a bigger machine behind it that ultimately makes those decisions.”
No decision will be made soon.
Contradicting Toto Wolff’s comments, who commented that a decision would be made in September, Bottas feels that no decision is expected to be made soon.
“Unfortunately, there is nothing to say. It remains to be seen what happens. I don’t think there will be any news in the near future, but things will be clear in time. Everything is going in the right direction.”
As to his options, if a new Mercedes deal does not materialise, Bottas said: “I can’t say who we’re going to talk to and what’s going on. But things are being discussed so that we can find the best option for next season.”
Meanwhile, Wolff claimed that his team would not consider any other driver for the 2022 seat other than Bottas and Russell, axing the rumours around Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
