Bottas not ruling out 2012 Williams race seat

Valtteri Bottas has acknowledged he is in the running to step up to the formula one race grid with Williams in 2012.

The new GP3 champion, already the famous British team’s test driver, impressed during the young drivers’ session in Abu Dhabi recently.

It is also believed the 22-year-old Finn is promising an ample amount of sponsorship and, alongside contenders including Rubens Barrichello and Adrian Sutil, is in the running for a race seat in 2012.

Referring to his laps in Abu Dhabi, Bottas told Finland’s Turun Sanomat: "I think the team wanted to see what I could really do on the track.

"I don’t know whether they were looking for next year, or for the year after.

"If the call comes or not, I really can not say," he added.

Bottas said that if he is not called up to race for Williams in 2012, he is looking at the Renault World Series or GP2.

"These are the only other good options," he said.