Mika Hakkinen says Valtteri Bottas’ managers must strive to give him the best possible chance to become world champion amid growing speculation about a potential move to Ferrari.
Following a 2014 breakthrough campaign that saw the Williams driver secure six podium finishes en route to P4 in the championship, Bottas has quietly established himself as one of the hottest properties on the grid.
Although he recently denied having inked any pre-contract agreement to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Maranello, the 25-year-old also revealed he has yet to sign a deal for 2016.
Hakkinen, who has been chaperoning Bottas in F1, says his fellow countryman must focus on his job behind the wheel while also urging his management to make sure the latest Flying Finn can fight for the title in the near future.
“Valtteri's manager Didier Coton has already given an answer [about the Ferrari rumour] in Barcelona so I don't want to add anything else to this,” Hakkinen told Hermes in his latest Q&A.
“Valtteri's job is everything that has to do with his work as a driver to be successful. It is the job of the managers to make sure of things off the track so that Valtteri has a chance to become a world champion one day.”
Although Bottas had to miss the opening race in Melbourne after injuring his lower back, he currently sits fifth in the Drivers’ standings, ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa and only 10 points adrift of Raikkonen in the much-improved Ferrari.
Hakkinen admits he was quite impressed with how Bottas managed to hold off the 2007 world champion in the closing stages of the Spanish Grand Prix.
“In addition to his fantastic driving skills, he has really strong nerves. His style differs from the other drivers in an interesting way. It is not especially pleasant to drive behind him.
“He can bring the car out of the curve so that he can just reach the distance for the next. Valtteri made no errors so there was no chance for Kimi [Raikkonen] to overtake at all.”
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