Symonds urges Bottas to consider staying

Pat Symonds has urged Valtteri Bottas to consider pledging his future to Williams.

Symonds, the team’s highly-experienced technical boss who has worked alongside champions Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, acknowledged the rumours now linking the Finn with Ferrari.

"It is no surprise to see other teams courting him," he told Britain’s Sky.

But Symonds said Grove based Williams, having sustained its resurgent form of 2014 into the new season, might be the best team for Bottas at present.

"We are all aware of some quite famous drivers who jump at the wrong time," he said.

Indeed, Bottas told Brazil’s Globo in Monaco that Symonds is one of Williams’ best assets.

"We may be limited in the budget," he said, "but there are great people in the team and a great wind tunnel.

"As I said, I trust our engineers and this man here," added Bottas, pointing in Symonds’ direction.

For both Williams and Ferrari, the crucial date for the future of fellow Finns Bottas, 25, and Kimi Raikkonen respectively is believed to be July 31.

It is then that ’options’ on both driver’s respective contracts are believed to expire.

"Is Kimi staying?" Ferrari chief Maurizio Arrivabene told Sky Italia in Monaco. "I don’t know."