Bottas disappointed at Vasseur's departure: 'But I completely understand'

Valtteri Bottas regrets that Frederic Vasseur is no longer with Alfa Romeo this calendar year. The Finnish driver had an excellent relationship with the Frenchman and was hoping for a longer collaboration, although he does wish him the chance at Ferrari.

Just last year, Bottas made the switch from Mercedes to Alfa Romeo, where he came to work with Vasseur. "It is of course true that Fred was one of the important reasons why I signed with Alfa Romeo. So it is logical that I regret his departure," he stressed to Speedweek.com.

Bottas goes on to state that he finds it perfectly logical for Vasseur to go for his chance. "At the same time, he is a friend of mine, so I am very happy for him. You don't say no to such an offer either. He has always been very ambitious and wanted to move forward, so I completely understand."

Although Bottas says Alfa Romeo is sacrificing a lot of quality, he expects it could also have a positive impact. Indeed, by bringing in Andreas Seidl, he thinks there will be a breath of fresh air in the team, which could benefit performance. Bottas argues that Seidl, among other things, has a clear vision on which the formation can build.