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Valtteri Bottas remains coy about his future beyond 2021, but he does say he would like a multi-year contract for the first time in his career.
With rumours swirling around that Valtteri Bottas will not be driving for Mercedes in 2022, at the Thursday press conference the Finn was asked if he knows what the future holds for him.
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t, same as in Spa,” Bottas said.
“Things are going in the right direction. I’m happy and excited,” added the Finn.
He was then asked when an announcement could be expected, but he said it would not be made this weekend. However, he did say he is looking for a multi-year deal.
“A multi-year contract would be nice — that’s something I never had before in Formula 1. That way I definitively could give full commitment to the team, knowing that the work will continue.
“It needs to be challenging, it needs to be exciting, it needs to be fun, in an atmosphere I’d really enjoy working in. I think those are really the main things I’m looking forward.
“Like I said before, I still have quite a few years in Formula 1. I really want to continue in Formula 1, for sure.”
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The most persistent rumour right now is that Valtteri could replace Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo. Bottas took the opportunity to pay tribute to his countryman, who announced his retirement from Formula 1 yesterday.
“Like he said himself, nothing lasts forever. There’s always time to try something new and he had an impressive and long career in Formula 1, one of the longest if not the longest one of all.
“I’m sure he had an impact on me as a youngster, I was following him closely when he started in Formula 1.
“I was following his season when he won the world championship. At that time I was doing my first season in single-seaters, in Formula Renault, when he won his title with Ferrari.
“He’s obviously a big star in Finland — he’s a bit of a legend, and he’s always been fun to watch.
“Also, it’s been nice to go racing with him, because he’s one of the drivers you can go racing with and you’re quite comfortable going wheel to wheel with.
“He’s always had good respect towards his competition and that’s the way I like racing too,” concluded Bottas.
