Williams F1 is urgently seeking a second driver, with Vowles hinting strongly at choosing Bottas.
Williams F1 team principal James Vowles’s first choice for Alex Albon’s long-term teammate starting next year was clearly Carlos Sainz—but the soon-to-be former Ferrari driver may have delayed too long in making his decision.
Vowles’s shortlist now seems to narrow either to Esteban Ocon, who appears closer to a deal with Haas F1, or to Valtteri Bottas.
“Esteban is very, very fast, but fast to a level that, when he was competing with Fernando Alonso, they were nearly equal in qualifications,” he revealed at Goodwood this weekend.
“It’s true he tends to be fiery in a tight fight with his teammate and there are sometimes collisions, no doubt. But he is also very, very fast, and that’s the hardest part when you are a racing driver.”
As for Bottas, a former Williams driver who does not appear to be in Audi’s future plans, Vowles described him as a “very fast driver” who has proven he can sometimes “beat Lewis Hamilton in qualifications.”
“And Valtteri hasn’t lost the speed he had; he is the same as before,” said Vowles, who worked closely with Bottas at Mercedes F1.
“He is now driving for the team with the slowest car, but despite this, he cannot be faulted for speed issues. He still manages to beat some teams. I also like that he is genuine and straightforward.”
Bottas was recently seen meeting privately with Vowles at the British GP.
“He is definitely an option for us, but he is not the only one.”
Regarding Carlos Sainz, Vowles admits: “either he decides very quickly, or we will choose another driver. We would like to know before the break.”
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Bottas in Focus as Williams F1 Seeks Second Driver Bottas in Focus as Williams F1 Seeks Second Driver
