Claire Williams believes her team has the means to retain Bottas
Claire Williams revisited the case of her star driver Valtteri Bottas. According to her, Williams is able to fend off the advances of other F1 teams in order to keep the Finn. She also congratulates herself on having a very complete duo of drivers.
During the 2014 season, Valtteri Bottas had a successful season; in his second season in F1, he finished 4th in the World Drivers’ Championship, achieving six podiums.
A potential problem looms for the Williams team, as Felipe Massa’s teammate will be out of contract during the season and his excellent performances are attracting interest from various F1 teams. The first team to openly declare their readiness to welcome him is Mercedes, but the Brackley team considers him a second alternative compared to Fernando Alonso if Lewis Hamilton were to leave.
Claire Williams believes, for Autosport, that there is no reason for Valtteri Bottas to leave Grove as long as Williams continues to offer him a competitive car: “I’m sure people want to hire Valtteri, and why wouldn’t they? He is one of the rising stars in the paddock right now. But Valtteri started his career with Williams, and when you talk to him, you are aware that he is 100% committed to us. We have embarked on this future path for the team with him, and we are going to do it together. For me, loyalty is important, and I think Valtteri feels the same way we do.”
The head of the Williams F1 team comments on Ferrari’s interest: « Of course, the name Ferrari came up in negotiations, it might be tempting, but he is happy here, and I think being approached by Ferrari means something important to him. Why should he leave us knowing that we have a competitive car, he knows our goals for the coming years, why couldn’t he achieve them if he stays with Williams? It’s not as if we finished fifth or sixth in the championship. Why would he go to another team when we can provide him with the car he needs to win? Why would he want to seek other opportunities? »
Last year Felipe Massa came from Ferrari to sign with Grove, according to Claire Williams, the association between an experienced driver and a young driver has been a winning combination for the team in its development: « You never know what the future will hold, imagine if Valtteri is less good at Williams because we are not providing the promised equipment. You never know what the future holds in F1, but at the moment we have a contract with Valtteri, he has a contract with us, which is why we must work together. We are pleased to have such a duo of drivers. We have one of the best driver pairs on the grid. They work so hard for the team, these two drivers each have their ego, but they both work for the good of the team and that’s essential for a team like ours. They are fully committed to us, in order to continue the development of the team. They have both turned the tide. »
