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Bottas management initiates talks with Renault - report

Published on 21 May 2020 16:25
7
By: Fergal Walsh

Valtteri Bottas' management team has initiated contact with Renault over its vacant seat for 2021, according to a German report.

Daniel Ricciardo will leave the Enstone squad at the end of the 2020 season to join McLaren, leaving a spot open at one of the leading Formula 1 midfield teams.

Mercedes is yet to announce who will drive for it for 2021, however it is expected that six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will remain for another stint.

The biggest question mark appears to be over who will fill out the second seat at the Silver Arrows, with Sebastian Vettel being labelled as a contender following his departure from Ferrari.

While Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted that the prospect of having Vettel at the team is “interesting”, he says the four-time champion is not on top of his 2021 wish list.

George Russell, who made his F1 debut last year, is a Mercedes junior driver and has been linked with a promotion to the championship-winning squad.

Mercedes has brought three of its junior drivers (Pascal Wehrlein, Esteban Ocon and Russell) into F1, however none have received a race contract with the senior team.

While Bottas is also in the running for a fifth season with Mercedes, Motorsport-Total reports that his management has been in contact with Renault over the seat that is being left behind by Ricciardo.

Fernando Alonso has also been heavily rumoured to be in the running for the seat at Renault, which would mark his third comeback to the team.

MORE: Alonso 'ready to return' to F1, says manager Briatore

MORE: Column: An open seat at Renault - what's in it for Alonso?

Bottas entered F1 in 2013 with Williams before moving to Mercedes in 2017, where he has since picked up seven grand prix wins.

Since joining Mercedes, he has been retained on single year contracts and has assisted the team in winning three constructors' championships.

essaouira311

Posts: 158

Hohohoho.....
Seb is cooomiiiing.....

1
May 21 2020 - 17:10

F1 News Valtteri Bottas Mercedes Renault

Replies (7)

essaouira311

Posts: 158
Hohohoho.....
Seb is cooomiiiing.....
- + 1
- May 21 2020 - 17:10
- ZUKMAN
  
  Posts: 40
  Or Russel
  + 0
  
  May 21 2020 - 18:45
- mcbhargav
  
  Posts: 1,332
  I wouldn’t rule out Russell yet, for he is fast, economical, and for future. If not now, it’s never for putting a youngster in the other Mercedes.
  + 0
  
  May 22 2020 - 02:11
Snooky

Posts: 121
I’d like to see Ocon get the seat after sitting out last year, the fireworks with max at the front would be great, but don’t think Merc will trust him in the seat just yet with a year out
- + 0
- May 21 2020 - 23:21
mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
We never know what games tricky Toto is playing at Merc right now.
- + 0
- May 22 2020 - 07:20
JuJuHound

Posts: 352
...according to German report

That says a lot
- + 0
- May 22 2020 - 08:34
Pistonhead

Posts: 556
Bottas will stay, surely.
- + 0
- May 22 2020 - 09:52