Bottas to Williams: 'Maybe he'll find his feet again there'

The discussion about who will sit next to Lewis Hamilton next year, especially this week, with the British Grand Prix on the program, has flared up again. Yet it seems that even after this weekend we will not have a definitive answer.

Jenson Button said in an interview to promote his' new collaboration with Readly and Motor Sport magazine, that he can see a swap between Mercedes and Williams happening. Bottas would then go to Williams, while Russell would sit alongside his compatriot Hamilton.

"It could be a complete swap with Williams and Mercedes, I think, with George going to Mercedes and Valtteri coming to Williams. He's driven at Williams before, and it probably hurts to go to a team that doesn't compete at the front. But he would be great for Williams."

Experience Bottas could help Williams

Many people then wonder why Bottas would still want to go to Williams at this point in his career, where at best he can compete with the midfield. Still, Button thinks Bottas could be of value to Williams.

"He comes with a lot of experience, and maybe he will find his feet again and mentally he will be in a better place. He will also be at a team where Lewis Hamilton is not." He's always thought Bottas was a fine second driver for Mercedes, but sees the Finn struggling to perform on track this year.

"I think Mercedes were happy that Valtteri wasn't up to speed the last couple of seasons. But he has always come away with good points as 2nd or 3rd in the races, so Mercedes has always won the constructors' championship. But this year he hasn't performed as well and they're not getting the points they're used to, so that's probably why they're looking elsewhere to get another driver for 2022."

Perhaps Mercedes will use the summer break as a moment to clarify as yet. And with that, a Russell - Bottas swap is certainly not an unrealistic option.