Bottas: 'Mercedes would have been first option with a multi-year contract'

Earlier this week it was announced that Valtteri Bottas will replace Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo. It had been a poorly kept secret for some time, but on Monday it finally became official.

To the Finnish MTV Sports, Bottas says he is happy with the new challenge, but above all with the fact that he has signed a multi year contract with the Italian team. This was not the case in previous years at Mercedes.

"It was really important for me. At Mercedes my whole career it's been like I'm put under a lot of pressure, always just a one-year contract. It's good to have a project now where you can really focus on the longer term. You don't have to stress about your driving position and future for a few years. I can concentrate on the job itself and get on with it."

Bottas would have liked to stay with Mercedes with multi-year contract

Then the Finn would have had more security for the future. However, Mercedes was not going to cooperate with this, so after this season the cooperation between Mercedes and Bottas will definitely come to an end.

"If Mercedes had offered me a multi-year contract, that would certainly have been the first choice. But I wouldn't have gone for another year." Finally, Bottas also says that the transition to Alfa Romeo is made easier by the fact that he already knows a few people there well.

"I already know a few guys there too, especially team boss Frederic Vasseur. I drove three years in F3 and GP3 for his team. From everything I've heard from Alfa Romeo, there's a really good chance now to make a leap forward!"

The Finn will have to make this leap forward in completely new cars with new rules. From 2022 onwards a lot of things will change in Formula 1, and Bottas will experience all of this from the seat of Alfa Romeo.