Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsWilliams

Williams will keep getting stronger - Bottas

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Valtteri Bottas says Williams is getting stronger as a team after extending his contract for 2016.

Williams has announced an unchanged driver line-up for next season after Kimi Raikkonen was retained at Ferrari, ending immediate interest in Bottas who had been linked with a move. Having been confirmed at Williams, Bottas says he is still in a strong position as the team continues to improve and he is targeting a further step forward next year.

“I am really pleased to be staying with the team for a fourth F1 race season," Bottas said. "We have been getting stronger as a team and I look forward to what next year will bring, as I believe we can achieve even stronger results than what we have seen so far.

"I can’t wait for 2016, however I am still fully focused on this season as we still have plenty of challenges to achieve. I must thank Frank [Williams], Claire [Williams], Mike [O'Driscoll], the Board, and everyone at Williams for their continued trust in me.”

Williams retains Bottas and Massa for 2016

Team-mate Felipe Massa has also had his future confirmed, and he says he is enjoying the respect he receives at Williams.

“I am very happy to be a part of the Williams family," Massa said. "I am in my second year here and am so pleased to be staying as we are working very well together as a team. They respect me a lot and the results are there, and it has been so nice to be part of the big turnaround the team has seen since the end of 2013.

"I can’t wait to carry on and continue pushing even more for the team, and for myself. Thank you to Frank, Claire, Mike, Pat [Symonds] and the whole Williams team for their ongoing support and belief in me, as we build on what is already a great relationship.”

Click here for Chris Medland's Italian Grand Prix preview and bold podium prediction.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.