Claire Williams: “We will have an exciting line-up in 2017”

One of the teams that has not released its reservations about the line-up for next season is certainly the Williams, at the center of many transfer rumors.

Currently both pilots, Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, their contract expires at the end of the season and they are trying to understand if there is the possibility of remaining in the team next season too. Despite the words of appreciation from Claire Williams, team principal of the Grove team, for Felipe Massa in recent days, it seems difficult that the Brazilian will remain in Formula 1 and seems headed to take part in the WEC championship with Ferrari. As regards Valtteri Bottas, there are many rumors: according to Finnish reporters, Bottas' country of birth, the Nastola driver would be near a passage in Renault, while according to Auto Motor und Sport, just in these days he would renew his contract with Williams until 2018.

If Bottas remained in the team, there would still be four other drivers ready to compete for the other seat in the Grove team: Jenson Button, Alex Lynn (young Williams driver), Lance Stroll (young Williams driver) and, more secluded, Sergio Perez, which would be closer to Renault than it is to the English team. As for the young drivers in the academy, Lynn is disappointing in GP2, while Stroll is impressing in F3, so a promotion for the Canadian, also driven by his father's money, would not be so unlikely. As for Jenson Button, it will be a return: in fact, it was Williams that launched him into Formula 1 in 2000 and the possibility of seeing him in McLaren again next year, especially with internal pressure from Stoffel Vandoorne who threatened farewell in case of failure to be promoted, they seem reduced. For this reason, the hypothesis that the Englishman returns to Grove cannot be ruled out and even Claire Williams herself has admitted a certain interest.

The team principal of the English team himself wanted to express himself regarding the line-up for 2017: "We are currently working on it, but obviously that doesn't mean we intend to reveal them to you. We would like to be able to make our announcement regarding the drivers as soon as possible but, as a responsible and business-minded team, we must analyze all the options we have. I'm sure we will have an exciting line-up next year” commented Claire Williams.

Gianluca D'Alessandro