Mercedes

Bottas sets soft August deadline for Mercedes contract talks

Ian Parkes & Sam Hall Wednesday 19 May 2021 17:04

Valtteri Bottas has expressed hope negotiations over his Mercedes future will begin by the F1 summer break.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has already expressed his desire to have a new contract with Mercedes in place by the August shutdown after negotiations on his current deal spilt over into January of this year.

Although Hamilton looks almost certain to remain with the German manufacturer into the new era of aerodynamic regulations next year, Bottas' future is less secure with Williams driver George Russell chasing a seat with the championship-winning team.

Asked if he had set a personal deadline for a deal to be finalised, Bottas said: “Honestly, it’s always better earlier.

"I’ve had contracts early, I’ve had contracts too late and it almost becomes a distraction. But to be honest, I haven’t really thought about it yet.

“That is an honest answer. I am just really focusing on these races now and that moment when we start to talk, it will come eventually, but for sure, about my future, the August break is normally a good deadline."

After four races this year, Bottas is third in the drivers' standings after finishing third in each of the three races where he has seen the chequered flag, but is already 47 points behind championship leader Hamilton.

The Finn, however, still harbours ambitions to win the title for himself and added of the negotiations: "To be honest, I don’t want to think about it yet.

"I just want to win races. That is the only thing on my mind at the moment.”

Latest News

Red Bull

Liam Lawson blames Red Bull for 2025 axing

2 hours ago

F1 News & Gossip

Horner and Perez tipped for reunion in stunning F1 transfer rumour

3 hours ago

Latest F1 News

Lewis Hamilton told to drop 'cool vegan guy' persona to beat Max Verstappen

Yesterday 20:57

Lewis Hamilton

Sky Sports F1 pundit calls out 'complacent' Lewis Hamilton

Yesterday 19:57
1

F1 Social

F1 champion Max Verstappen in Mo Salah Liverpool crisis ahead of Premier League opener

Yesterday 18:57

F1 News & Gossip

F1 team told to hire Christian Horner in major reshuffle

Yesterday 17:57

More news

Lewis Hamilton confirms 2026 switch after Ferrari talks

28 july

200.000+ views

Charles Leclerc disqualification verdict issued by FIA after late Hungarian GP test

5 august

100.000+ views

Lando Norris one of TEN drivers hit by late FIA ruling after Belgian Grand Prix

28 july

75.000+ views

Lando Norris one of TEN drivers hit by late FIA ruling after Hungarian Grand Prix

4 august

30.000+ views

F1 Penalty Points: Max Verstappen race ban looms as FIA issue penalty verdict for Lewis Hamilton incident

4 august

25.000+ views

F1 Results Today: Norris and Piastri INCHES from disaster as FIA investigation looms at Hungarian GP

1 august

F1 News 24/7

Races

About GPFans

GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.

We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.

With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.

Follow us on your favorite social media channel

Corporate & Media

Innovatieweg 20C
7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY

Bottas sets soft August deadline for Mercedes contract talks

Bottas sets soft August deadline for Mercedes contract talks