Symonds accuses Ferrari of triggering Bottas rumours

Pat Symonds has hit out at Ferrari, accusing the Italian team of triggering the speculation about Valtteri Bottas' future. Finn Bottas has clearly been targeted by Ferrari for 2016, but the 25-year-old driver is already firmly under contract to Williams.

So when asked by Italy's Autosprint magazine if he can imagine Bottas replacing Kimi Raikkonen next year, Williams technical boss Symonds furrowed his brow. "I think at the moment Bottas is a Williams driver, and right now I don't see anything that will change that," said the Briton.

"But there are a few things I want to emphasise. I think Ferrari's behaviour in its approach to Bottas has been very clear. It has been done so that everyone is aware, and from our point of view that is very destabilising not only for the driver but also the whole team," Symonds charged. "It will inevitably end up affecting the relationship between the driver and the team, and while Ferrari is doing nothing wrong, I think we (Williams) would clearly have a different approach."

Interestingly, both Bottas' manager and the driver himself have also denounced the public nature of the rumours about 2016 as "not fair". Manager Didier Coton had said in Hungary: "Frankly, it is not right either to this team (Williams) or to Ferrari's driver (Raikkonen) to spread those rumours. It's not fair."

And at a sponsor event last week, Bottas himself commented: "Those (rumours) are not true and they are not fair for Williams and not fair for Kimi." (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

AZ Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

AZAzerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

Test calendar

See full test schedule

World Championship standings 2026

Show full world champion standings

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
6 - Mar 8
Australia
13 - Mar 15
China
27 - Mar 29
Japan
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
1 - May 3
United States of America
22 - May 24
Canada
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
12 - Jun 14
Spain
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
10 - Apr 12
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
5 - Jun 7
Monaco Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Cadillac F1
  • Points 1,608
  • Podiums 61
  • Grand Prix 211
  • Country FI
  • Date of b. Aug 28 1989 (36)
  • Place of b. Nastola, FI
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.73 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar