The curious case of Valtteri Bottas

Silly season has officially begun in Formula 1, And it didn’t take long for the George Russell to Mercedes rumours to once again stir the pot in the curious saga of Valtteri Bottas.

Its almost inevitable that young English driver George Russell is next in line for the coveted Mercedes seat, which might be available for the upcoming 2022 season, just in time for the regulation changes that were originally planned for 2021.

Seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, signed on for another two-years with the Mercedes team last month, all but confirming that the Fin would be the sacrificial lamb for potentially the sports next big thing.

Although there has been speculation for years now around Russell joining the powerhouse team, Mercedes have got to ask themselves whether they would prefer a young, hungry driver over a more experienced driver who can play the perfect ‘robin’ behind Hamilton.

Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, has always been full of praise for the “great team member”, implying that Bottas may be the man who can help the team win more constructor championships going forward, while protecting Hamilton’s run to the drivers championship in the process.

On multiple occasions since 2017, and most recently in the 2021 British Grand Prix, team orders have allowed Hamilton to pass Bottas on his chase for the race win, and in some circumstances, just the chase for some extra points. While Hamilton is clearly the faster driver, letting a teammate, or any driver in that matter pass is a kick in the guts, but in most scenarios Bottas is more than willing to do what’s best for the team.

The potential of clashing on and off the track increases dramatically when introducing a new, young driver to such a successful team. Its hard to see Russell comfortably accepting the role of the number-two driver, especially while being a car where he can potentially fight for the win every race weekend, transitioning from a struggling team in Williams who can barely fight for a points finish.

So where to now for Bottas? (Hypothetically of course)

With the decision set to be confirmed before the Belgian Grand Prix on August 29, teams are keeping Bottas on their radar, and in particular, the Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo Sauber team.

Current Alfa Romeo drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi have not got contracts signed beyond the current 2021 season. It is also extremely likely that Raikkonen will not be offered a new deal.

Alfa Romeo team principal, Frédéric Vasseur, has made it very clear that Bottas is a top-priority target, with hopes to boost the teams rebuild heading into the 2022 season.

And it might just be a win-win scenario for both parties.

As its fair to rule out a championship run in the current season, looking ahead into the new era of Formula 1 could be an opportunity for Bottas to once again show the world what he is capable of, and the reason why Mercedes signed him in the first place.

Being in a team that on a good day is more than capable of scoring a point or two, there will be plenty of opportunities for the Fin to show off his experience and race-craft in a team where expectations may not be so high. This may also allow him to be in a better place mentally on and off the track.

Although for now this is all speculation, the Alfa Romeo move might just be the best move going forward. But there are other options on the table, one being the most likely of the lot.

The idea of a straight swap between Russell and Bottas seems fitting for all parties involved, similar to the pros of the Alfa Romeo move, the Williams team would provide the opportunity for Bottas to once again show the world what he is made of. While a mental adjustment would need to be made, once he is comfortable with the team and the new car it could be the start of something special. Especially since the adjustment may not take as long as it would with other teams, due to Bottas already spending time with the Williams team, departing for Mercedes after the 2016 season where Nico Rosberg famously won the drivers championship and then as a surprise to us all, retired.

As a move like this one would be the smoother option of the two, it may take a couple of years for Williams to produce a car fast enough to fight for the points, yet who knows what the new regulations will bring to the table.

There are few other options in the Formula 1 field for Bottas if he were to leave the Mercedes team next year, and although it seems unlikely that we wont see him on the grid in 2022, he has expressed his desire to explore other options outside of Formula 1. Where that may be, who knows. But it would be extremely disappointing for such a talented driver to be forced out of the sport in such circumstances.