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It is being reported that Stake F1 driver Valtteri Bottas held a secret meeting with Williams F1 team principal James Vowles during the British GP last week. The Finnish driver has been actively looking for a seat for the 2025 season as his contract with the Hunwil-based outfit runs out at the end of the 2024 season.
Williams were rumored to be in advanced talks to sign the departing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz on a multi-year deal before the Spanish GP. However, the talks seemed to have stalled between the two parties after the Spaniard started having talks with other teams on the grid.
The Grove-based outfit too got impatient with Sainz's delay and started entertaining talks with other drivers such as Bottas, who started his F1 career with them in 2013. His initial success with the team at the beginning of the Turbo-Hybrid era in 2014 prompted Mercedes to sign in place of Nico Rosberg for the 2017 season after the latter retired from the sport.
As per Blick, it was reported that Valtteri Bottas entered the team's hospitality area wearing a black t-shirt and black cap and had a 30-minute conversation with Vowles in his bid to seal the deal.
Speaking with PlanetF1, the 10-time F1 race winner provided an update regarding his future in the sport and said:
“I feel like things are starting to progress and get closer, I think, in a good way hopefully. But still, I have nothing to announce here and nothing has been signed, but it’s progressing.
“I think I’m in a good position. Some people in the paddock still, luckily, know what I can do, and what are my strengths to be part of a team, but it takes time to finalize things to be 100 percent confident."
Williams F1 team principal gives his take on Carlos Sainz talks
Williams F1 team principal James Vowles stated that he has been pretty open regarding his pursuit of Carlos Sainz but cleared that he wanted a driver to lead the team forward and become a part of their journey.
Speaking with TalkSport, Vowles reflected:
"I think we've been fairly forthright and open on who we'd like to sign, but that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. We know where we place in the grand scheme of things.
"What I would say is this, what I want is a driver that also wants to be a part of our journey, that wants to really, understand what Williams is about, both the old and the new, and wants that to be at the heart of what they're doing driving wise. And sometimes that doesn't match up. Sometimes it does, but that's really important to me." he added.
Williams are currently P9 in the Constructor's Championship with four points from 12 races and three Sprints so far, with Alex Albon scoring all their points.
