Bottas confident ahead of 2021 ’silly season’

Valtteri Bottas is not expecting to be weighed down by this year’s contractual uncertainty.

Late last year, after securing another one-year deal for 2020 only, the Finn admitted he had been affected by constant rumours hinting at his Mercedes exit.

"When that continues year after year, every single year of your career, at some point it’s a pain in the ass," said Bottas.

Boss Toto Wolff responded to Bottas’ struggle by vowing to do "a better job" of the next round of contract talks about the 2021 season.

With that in mind, Bottas now says he is feeling less worried about his immediate future and the impending talks.

"Yes, I think that’s a good situation," he told the Finnish broadcaster MTV Sport, who told Bottas that the Mercedes talks look set to be less unilateral.

"I have a contract for this year and after that the team and I have nothing whatsoever at the moment. Let’s go from scratch," Bottas, 31, added.

The 2021 ’silly season’ has in fact already begun, with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen signing up with their respective teams through 2024 and 2023 respectively.

But Bottas thinks there is a lot more to come.

"There will definitely be a lot of speculation in the driver market early in the summer," he said.

"Obviously everyone wants to have something for next year, or more, just as they did. That’s what it comes down to but there’s no pressure.

"I’m just going to look for my own goals and do the job and do it for myself," Bottas added.