Valtteri Bottas has revealed that he almost signed a new contract with Williams last year, the team where he made his Formula 1 debut in 2013. According to the Finn, a deal was on the table, but team boss James Vowles – whom he knows well from his time at Mercedes – ultimately chose Carlos Sainz. Bottas has since signed a new agreement with Cadillac and will return to the grid in 2026.
“I enjoy working with James Vowles,” Bottas told Motorsport Week. “And yes, I was quite close to a collaboration for this year. The contract was ready, so it wasn’t far off.” Despite the advanced talks, Williams ultimately chose Carlos Sainz, who had to make way for Lewis Hamilton after an impressive season at Ferrari. “In the end, Sainz came,” Bottas continued dryly. “So yes, that’s Formula 1 too.”
The Resurgence of Williams
Valtteri Bottas, who worked with James Vowles at Mercedes for five years, clearly sees the influence of his former colleague on the resurgence of Williams. “Yes, I think they are definitely on the right track,” he praised. “Williams has made great progress.” This progress is also evident in the constructors’ standings; the team from Grove scored more points this year than in the previous seven seasons combined. However, Bottas sees room for improvement.
“It’s still a bit inconsistent from weekend to weekend, but if you look at where they were a few years ago, they’ve done a great job,” concluded the ten-time race winner. “I think they now have a good investment group behind them, and James Vowles has also brought a lot of knowledge from Mercedes. He’s done a very good job.”
Valtteri Bottas himself returned to Mercedes this year, where he was offered a role as a test and reserve driver. From the sidelines, he guided rookie Kimi Antonelli during his debut year. However, next year he will be back in action, when he forms the first line-up of the new Formula 1 team from Cadillac, alongside former Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez.
