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0:00 - Why Mercedes Went With Bottas And What It Means For George Russell
2:20 - Fast Feed

Mercedes had taken a backseat to all the shenanigans of the silly season in the F1 driver market until now. Technically, both their seats were unfilled for 2021 with neither Valtteri Bottas nor defending world champion Lewis Hamilton having put ink to the dotted line. The former has now been signed for another year.

Why Mercedes Went With Bottas And What It Means For George Russell

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed this news

“We are very excited that Valtteri will stay with the team for at least one more season. We’re seeing the strongest Valtteri we’ve ever seen this year – in terms of his on-track performance, but also physically and mentally. He is second in the championship, finished the last season in P2 and plays a very important part in our overall team performance”

He then revealed the reason why they signed Valtteri Bottas despite the likes of 4-times world champion Sebastian Vettel being available for 2021

“I’m confident that we have the strongest driver pairing in F1 today and signing Valtteri is an important first step in retaining this strength for the future. Valtteri is a hard-working, straightforward guy who has a good relationship with the entire team – including his team-mate, which is not a given when both drivers are fighting for the championship”

Bottas meanwhile revealed that he had spoken to other teams

“Yes, I had conversations with other teams, I can say that. Even before we started racing this season, there was a lot of movement when it comes to teams and drivers”

He then revealed his reaction to being re-signed by Mercedes

“As you've seen, I've signed a new contract for one season with Mercedes and I'm very proud of that. I want to thank the team for the trust they have in me and I want to thank the fans for their support”

“This weekend it's time to kick some ass again. I've always wanted to be world champion and that will remain my goal. You can do that at Mercedes and I am very happy for this opportunity.”

Williams’ George Russell, who also happens to be a part of Mercedes’ junior program, was seen as an early contender for the seat but his deputy team principal Claire Williams shut those doors by retaining him for 2021

Russell gave his reactions to Bottas’ contract being renewed by Mercedes

“Of course, I would be happy with such an opportunity, that goes for everyone. Of course, I want to drive for a dominant team, but above all I want to measure myself against the best drivers in Formula 1. However, for now I focus on the now and so I'm doing my job at Williams”


Fast Feed

Former F1 driver Eddie Irvine thinks that future Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz “can't compete with Leclerc”

Irvine, however, does feel that Sainz “made the right choice to go to Ferrari. Ferrari should have let Vettel go already”

Magnussen thinks that the corner at which he and Red Bull’s Alex Albon came together last week is “just a tight turn” and that “Alex doesn't deserve a punishment”

Albon also stuck to his guns and revealed that “Magnussen made a mistake and as a result there was a gap that” he “was looking for. If it would happen again” he “would have done the same thing”

Verstappen is “really looking forward to returning to Imola” but he thinks “it's wrong what they've done” by making the race weekend just two days long with a single practice session

Albon added to that by saying that “it would be much more logical if we organise a two-day event at a circuit like Silverstone where we have two races”

Vettel also gave his opinion that “it will be much more important to use your time efficiently on the track”

Vettel has also reasoned that his poor result in comparison to his teammate Leclerc is because he drove “in midfield, and depending on how your weekend goes, it will have a direct impact on your race”

Hamilton has revealed that his “focus is not yet on” his “contract for 2021” and thinks “it is clear that” he wants “to continue with this team and that” they “can discuss this later in the season”

He also added that he is “therefore not in contact with any other team” as they “have now opened a new chapter on diversity” and is “excited about the possibilities of Mercedes in this”

Toto Wolff added to this by saying that they are “having good talks and” is “pretty sure” they'll “be able to sign a contract soon”

Leclerc finds it “very sad to see how some people twist” his “words to fill the headlines of newspapers, and make it sound like” he is “a racist”

He also doesn’t “accept” the things he’s “been called in the past few weeks, just because” he’s not taking a knee and that he just wants “to make a simple Tweet to express” his “feelings and that's it”

Gasly feels that Red Bull advisor Helmut “Marko is really happy with” his “results and performance, whether in qualifying or racing”