Current Valtteri Bottas

…….and finally Williams confirm that Valtteri Bottas will be in the race seat for the 2013 season. As I’m seen on here as his biggest fan I thought I better get an article written and a thread started for the lad.

Born 28th August 1989 in Nastola Finland he currently resides in Oxford. His single seater career started in 2007 with a 3rd place in the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC series, he followed that up in 2008 by winning the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC series and the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup series. In 2009 he stepped up to the Formula 3 Euroseries coming 3rd but winning the Maters of Formula 3 one off race a feat he was to repeat in 2010. 2011 was the year he suddenly jumped to everyones attention when he cruised to the GP3 championship and spent the whole season as Williams test driver impressing big time in the 2011 Abu Dhabi young drivers test by setting pretty competitive times in a car which wasn’t viewed as very quick. He was so impressive he put himself in the running for the Williams F1 seat but in the end the team went with bringing in the funds of Bruno Senna but satisfied Bottas with a contract which made sure he got plenty of running in the car on a Friday morning something that he grabbed hold of with both hands.

Not running in any other series meant Valtteri was concentrating completely on his job as Williams and a lot of essential team members at Williams have come out and said how much help he has been at setting up the car, which seeing as the Williams was a far better car this year can only be seen as a plus for him. A year doing test stuff must have been frustrating but in the long run I actually think it might be a big plus for him as he’s had a whole season of watching and learning how a technical team like Williams work and will certainly have a lot more knowledge of set up and how an F1 team works than the majority of rookies coming in. Of course its helped even more that he’s impressed in his Friday morning sessions, keeping pace with Maldonado on nearly every occasion and beating him on a fair few. This has of course lead to complaints from Bruno Senna about how he is not as quick due to not getting enough time but I can twist that round on itself because Bottas had even less time yet seemed to be able to jump in the car and be on the pace. What can he do with a full weekend in the cockpit? I guess we’ll see.

So we’ve seen he has pace, we’re told he had technical know how, and his junior career shows he knows how to win so it all looks good but having said that a lot of drivers have looked good and not been able to translate it so the proof is in the pudding as they say. So why have I championed him so much? Well to me Williams are a big team and should act like a big team. They got their Renault engines back and showed they can still design a car and produced a race winning one for 2012 and I can’t help but feel if their driver selection had been more about talent than funds we’d have seen them finish a lot higher up in the championship. Maldonado is a winner, he has pace, he just needs to calm down. I couldn’t say the same for Senna, so when you see a talented youngster who is obviously quick but has no financial backing whatsoever I can’t help but root for Williams to take a gamble on bringing him in.

So now we know he’ll get his shot and we’ll see whether he can match the faith shown in him. Lets also hope that Williams give him a car to show us he has talent. The second rookie on the grid for next year and this is the first rookie for a while that’s come in on talent with very little financial backing something I think Formula 1 could do with more of.

So before he turns a wheel what do we thing? The next flying Finn or the worst Scandinavian since Magnuersen?

 

[Il_leone]

If my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle.

Yes she would be but Mercs must be glad he did not now

 

[F1Brits_90]

I'm confused. Bottas was second in chmpionship last year and has won races this year. What has French Grand Prix got to do with it.

Ok. We don't like Bottas. So tell me a driver you would put in the Merc car that would do a better job as him whilst not challenging Lewis Hamilton and obeying exactly what the team said?

I'll wait.

well as i say 2020 he behind verstappen on merit. & since 2019 french gp when mercedes won 8 in a row. bottas finished 4th then
Lewis 226
Verstappen 178
Leclerc 177
Bottas 175
Vettel 129

well we could put 2 drivers in the car Verstappen Leclerc & Vettel at his best (excluding contracts). but yes that would disrupt the comfortable nature of the teams.

but it is a shame that Lewis might as well be called an 8x F1 world champion now. not because he doesnt deserve it. as he does he make a brilliant case to be greatest of all time. but this is boring

 

[RasputinLives]

Ocon who couldn't beat Perez or Danny Ric?

 

[F1Brits_90]

i would say Russell, but he unproven in the wheel to wheel combat & he is doing incredible things in that williams but kubica & latifi isnt tough opposition

 

[Il_leone]

I think Button went through a period where he was getting beat and some people wondered why was he touted as future world champ. So Ican see Ocon proving people wrong

I thought you rated Ocon so you've changed your opinion of him then now? I suspect he will either send Alonso into retirement or getting the Piquet jnr /Vandoorne beating next season at Renault . It appears that Toto seems to think highly of him based on his simulator performances to shoehorn him into Mercedes. It's only a matter of when it will happen

 

[RasputinLives]

I do rate Ocon but I don't want him to be a number 2 driver nor would he do a better job at being a number 2 than Bottas. My question was who would do a better job at being a number 2 drive than Bottas. Because that's what they want - a number 2. They are hard to find - ask Red Bull.

 

[F1Brits_90]

My question was who would do a better job at being a number 2 drive than Bottas. Because that's what they want - a number 2. They are hard to find - ask Red Bull

there you go bottas go to red bull & theyve s perfect no 2 that theyve been looking for nearly 9yrs (bar that 18month spell)
-----------
actually on that point what about Riccardio. he's what bottas should be 1 of nicest guy off track. but fighter on track. his reputation is on the rise post kyvat, gasly & albon as he's closest anyone has ever got to verstappen

 

[RasputinLives]

....and would he blindly obey orders that benefit Hamilton and the team or would he mix it up and try and beat him causing rifts in the team like be did at Red Bull?

 

[Il_leone]

I do rate Ocon but I don't want him to be a number 2 driver nor would he do a better job at being a number 2 than Bottas. My question was who would do a better job at being a number 2 drive than Bottas. Because that's what they want - a number 2. They are hard to find - ask Red Bull.

I think Mercedes need a number 1.5 driver now not a number 2 driver because when Hamilton retires then who will take the fight to Leclerc and Verstappen . That is why Ocon or Russell needs to be considered over Bottas for that step up. Bottas is not stepping up

An interesting conundrum is Toto buying into Aston Martin would have been done with this in mind so get rid of Perez to do this.

The No 2 at Red Bull driver is a poison chalice because Helmut Marko makes it so

 

[Galahad]

In normal circumstances, Mercedes would need to be looking at succession planning for Hamilton and trying to get Verstappen or Leclerc or, maybe, Norris signed up. This is how it went when Michael Schumacher was more or less forced into his first retirement, by virtue of Ferrari signing Kimi Raikkonen for 2007 (even if it wasn't presented that way).

The difference now is that Merc are so dominant, they can get any driver they want, whenever they want. The driver will want to drive for them, and they have enough money to smooth over any contractual obstacles. So effectively they can keep Hamilton sweet and prolong his career with Bottas as #2, and still grab Max (probably) when Lewis decides to call it a day.

 

[F1Brits_90]

....and would he blindly obey orders that benefit Hamilton and the team or would he mix it up and try and beat him causing rifts in the team like be did at Red Bull?

they only had 1 teammate collision & in my opinion that was verstappen fault. because he was in the phase of moving in the braking zone.

you rarely see Riccardio retire because of crash. despite some very ambitious moves

 

[RasputinLives]

But he left Red Bull because he didn't want to be a number 2. Plus it's not about crashes it's about the fact he'd upset him by putting him under pressure. Which is exactly what happened with Max.

I think the mistake you guys are making is thinking of what you would like to see. Why on earth would Merc want to change their driver line up? They have won absolutely everything as long as they've had Bottas and Hamilton. Why would they want to change that?

 

[Dartman]

If you are No1 at Red Bull but your face doesn't fit Helmut's profile you're demoted, Ricciardo displaced Vettel, not to Helmuts liking so intrduce Verstappen with a load of hype who would win at any means to be their No1 Red Bull don't seem to want Antipodean drivers.
As for Mercedes they don't want to upset a winning team, they can place their junior drivers where they like to gain experience then choose the best when they want a replacement for Hamilton when he goes, why demoralise a young driver as Hamilton's team mate by being beaten nearly every week end as a No2. Not many ex No2's become WDC's

 

[Il_leone]

In normal circumstances, Mercedes would need to be looking at succession planning for Hamilton and trying to get Verstappen or Leclerc or, maybe, Norris signed up. This is how it went when Michael Schumacher was more or less forced into his first retirement, by virtue of Ferrari signing Kimi Raikkonen for 2007 (even if it wasn't presented that way).

It was presented internally to Schumacher that way though he covered up with excuse that he would hold back Massa but Luca decided to plan ahead much to Todt's annoyance

 

[Il_leone]

As for Mercedes they don't want to upset a winning team, they can place their junior drivers where they like to gain experience then choose the best when they want a replacement for Hamilton when he goes, why demoralise a young driver as Hamilton's team mate by being beaten nearly every week end as a No2. Not many ex No2's become WDC's
[/QUOTE]

Which is why Toto is buying into Aston Martin to give him option to do so.
I think Bottas has only 1 more season in the car to be honest because both Russell and Ocon's contract are up. The danger will be if Mercedes are left behind to succession plan. The outside bet is if Hamilton's contract talks breaks down they want to swoop for Verstappen which is why Bottas is still there.

Bottas is fast becoming the new Raikkonen as someone who should not be in a top car but frustratingly is.

Ex No 2 to become world champ well Hamilton was signed as No2 and scared off Alonso to world champ. Rosberg was No2 because Schumacher made a fuss about car No 4 bs and eventually became world champ. Button was treated as No 2 during Flavio's period but proved people wrong. Mansell and Hill were No 2s before being world champs

 

[Il_leone]

I wonder how long it will before Verstappen's dad/agent rings about Bottas' seat. Red Bull then would have egg on their face especially if that happens before he wins a title with them

 

[RasputinLives]

Do you remember how you predicted it was Kimi's last year for like 5 years running and its Bottas last year for the last 3?

I do.

 

[Il_leone]

Do you remember how you predicted it was Kimi's last year for like 5 years running and its Bottas last year for the last 3?

I do.

Yes but all that did for Ferrari was land themselves in the mess they are in doing nothing about Kimi and ultimately probably end Vettel's career because they differed.

I will have little sympathy for Mercedes if they end up like Ferrari because they took too long to plan for the future. How many chances does Bottas have left? Do we have to for Bottas version infinite?

 

[RasputinLives]

Ferrari who have one of the most talented young drivers in the world in their car currently after promoting him through their academy? How did they not plan for the future driver wise? The car is crap it's true but that ain't LeClercs fault.

 

[Dartman]

Which is why Toto is buying into Aston Martin to give him option to do so.
I think Bottas has only 1 more season in the car to be honest because both Russell and Ocon's contract are up. The danger will be if Mercedes are left behind to succession plan. The outside bet is if Hamilton's contract talks breaks down they want to swoop for Verstappen which is why Bottas is still there. Hamilton was signed as No2 and scared off Alonso to world champ. Rosberg was No2 because Schumacher made a fuss about car No 4 bs and eventually became world champ. Button was treated as No 2 during Flavio's period but proved people wrong. Mansell and Hill were No 2s before being world champs
[/QUOTE]
As I said not many