Bottas slates clickbait 'fake news' as Mercedes contract speculation grows

Valtteri Bottas has taken a swipe at the clickbait media for "making up stories" over his F1 future.

Bottas has been on a rolling one-year contract with Mercedes since joining the team in 2017 as replacement for world champion Nico Rosberg.

But the Finn has failed to match the form of his predecessor as he has won just nine races, while this season he has scored points in just three, leaving him 58 points behind title leader Max Verstappen and 54 adrift of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

It has sparked speculation Bottas' time at Mercedes is drawing to a close and he will be replaced by Williams' George Russell.

Asked if there was any truth to the rumours he had already been informed he would be leaving the team at the end of the year, he added: "I can’t confirm that. At least no one has told me that so that is not true.

"That is speculation and I am sure there are all kinds of speculation that is not based on any facts.

“People are trying to make up stories just for the clicks. That is how it goes.”

Bottas is yet to consider a 'plan B'

After Esteban Ocon was confirmed at Alpine on a new three-year contract, options for Bottas appear limited if he is to leave Mercedes.

Questioned if he would be prepared to take any opportunity to remain in F1, Bottas said: “I haven’t really thought about it yet that deeply, honestly.

"Obviously, you can’t always block the noise that is around and every season it is the same thing, the same questions and the same speculation.

“That is part of the sport so I think it is a bit too early yet for me to answer that in detail.

“We haven’t really yet discussed anything about [a] contract with Mercedes and that will come eventually.

"Now the focus is for this triple-header and we will see then maybe after at some point. But not much more to say at this point.”

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