GPWizard F1 Forum
F1 News & Discussions => F1 Drivers => Topic started by: cosworth151 on January 16, 2017, 09:07:15 PM
-
Mercedes has confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will replace Nico Rosberg for the 2017 season.
"I just can't wait to start working properly," Bottas said. "My goal is to get all the points available that is possible with the car. I have faith in you that you have been building a good car for this season so let's hope it is a good one.
"I want to thank Toto and everyone on the Mercedes and Daimler board for this opportunity. I appreciate it a lot. I won't miss this opportunity. I will give it everything I can.
"I'm so happy to be on board. I just can't wait to start work. I'm so proud to be part of this so thank you for being such a great team and thank you for allowing me to be a part of that. Let's go for whatever is possible."
I think it will make for another year of interesting times at Mercedes.
http://www.racer.com/f1/item/137720-f1-bottas-confirmed-at-mercedes
-
Non news really ain't it, it would have been more news
if they had decided not to put him in the car after all. ;)
Guess that means we can look forward to Felipe having to explain
why Lance is faster than him later in the season. :D
-
I'm sure with Lewis settled into the team it'll be hard work for Valtteri to get the better of him but it will make the start of the season interesting as testing will not show too much as I expect a lot of sandbagging.
I think you could well be right John S I do still feel that Massa should have stayed retired once he had done so but maybe he'll prove us both wrong.
-
What Merc have not been so keen to say is that Bottas' contract is for just one year, with an option for the second.
Mika Salo reportedly finds this at odds with normal practice on the grid these days.
Bottas' switch from Williams to replace the suddenly-retired reigning world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes was finally unveiled on Monday.
But sources quickly reported that the deal is actually for one year only, including a mere 'option' for 2018.
"It is a strange solution, really strange," former Sauber and Ferrari driver Salo told the Finnish broadcaster MTV.
"I don't know what's behind it. One year contracts are quite rare nowadays. Perhaps Mercedes wants to check that Valtteri does the job as he should," he added.
One interpretation is that Mercedes wants to keep the door open for 2018, when talents like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso may be available
Courtesy GrandPrix.com, Today.
-
Reminds me of Casablanca...this could be the start of
a great friendship.Here's hoping at you
-
I'm sure with Lewis settled into the team it'll be hard work for Valtteri to get the better of him but it will make the start of the season interesting as testing will not show too much as I expect a lot of sandbagging.
I think you could well be right John S I do still feel that Massa should have stayed retired once he had done so but maybe he'll prove us both wrong.
Bottas isn't just Wolff's employee, he's also also Wolff's client. That's to say, when Valtteri gets paid, so does Wolff.
Hamilton will do everything in his power to treat Bottas as he did Rosberg, but now that the team has incentive to favour Bottas, I suspect we'll see much less 'let them race' attitude, especially of Bottas shows to be equal to Hamilton. Certainly if Lewis gets to an early lead on Valtteri it won't matter.
-
I read where Wolfe is giving up handling Bottas since he joined the
team...on paper anyway
-
I read where Wolfe is giving up handling Bottas since he joined the
team...on paper anyway
Yeah, sure...just like Trump is putting his companies in a blind trust run by his sons ;) ;)