F1 News: Renault has a vacant spot in one of the cars after Daniel Riccardo left for McLaren a few weeks ago, French team considering options.
Valterri Bottas has emerged as a leading option to replace Daniel Riccardo in the Renault team after reports speculate that last season’s Williams rookie driver George Russel would be paired up with Lewis Hamilton next season.
Thus, it has directly triggered the reports of Bottas to leave the doors of Mercedes, and in the potential teams where he could land, Renault seems to be the favourite destination.
Jean-Michel Desnoues, an author and correspondent for the French magazine Auto Hebdo, also thinks the same, but he also points that Fernando Alonso can also make a return.
“Everything points to the arrival of the Asturian bull,” he said. “He is inextricably linked to the French team with which he won his two titles.
“He is charismatic, out for revenge, and for a team that seems uncertain, he is the right man at the right time. It seems that only he is ready to embrace a team that Ricciardo turned down. However, Desnoues thinks Renault may also embrace Bottas.”
“He has shown several times that he can take on Lewis Hamilton, with a Scandinavian calm that contrasts sharply with the Spaniard’s volcanic character,” he said.
Esteban Ocon who is already Renault is also pipped to be in Mercedes in the near future as Lewis Hamilton is very near to retirement, Totto Wolf is probably considering to form a stable side before he leaves the management of the team which has been long speculated.
