Nico Rosberg announces surprise retirement from Formula One

[afx]

VIENNA, Austria -- Nico Rosberg has announced his retirement from Formula One less than a week after being crowned world champion in Abu Dhabi.

 

Rosberg made the announcement at a press conference ahead of the FIA prize giving in Vienna where he is due to be presented with the championship trophy. He made clear that after achieving his childhood dream of being crowned champion, he wanted to spend more time with his wife Vivian and young daughter away from the pressures of Formula One, saying he "could not go through that again".

After twice losing the title in direct battles with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2014 and 2015, Rosberg finally beat Hamilton to the title this year. He confirmed he was not considering returning to F1 at a later date.

"So, it's a very special day today to receive the trophy this evening, but for another reason as well," he said. "I want to take the opportunity to announce I've decided to end my Formula One career in this moment here, on Monday. To explain, ever since I started, when I was six years old, I had a very, very clear dream, and that was to become Formula One world champion. It was very clear in my mind, as long as I can think when I was growing up. Now I've achieved that, I've put everything into it for 25 years of racing.

"With the help of everyone around me, with the help of fans, my family, my friends, I've managed to achieve it this year. It's been an incredible experience for me I will remember forever. At the same time it's been very very tough, the last two years losing to Lewis were extremely difficult moments for me which fuelled my motivation in a way I didn't even know was possible, to fight back and to achieve my dream finally. This year was extremely tough as I put absolutely everything into it, I left no stone unturned from Austin last year where I suffered a lot after the loss.

"I pushed like crazy in all directions. I want to thank everyone who was involved, my family ... a lot of sacrifices. My wife, for example, at home; every time I was home, she understood that I needed to rest so I never did any nights, I didn't' have to take after my daughter. Didn't do any nights, didn't did any difficult things, she was always there to support and make everything possible.

"That's one example of the commitment we all put into it. I've achieved this childhood dream and I'm not willing to do that sort of commitment for another year, and I'm not interested in coming fourth or whatever, I'm a fighter and I want to win. So I'm not interested to do that again so I've decided to follow my heart and my heart has told me to stop there and call it a day, do other things. It's been wonderful, it just feels right to me, I'm very, very excited. My wife Vivian is very excited to have her husband back and I'm going to be dad again, which is going to be wonderful, so thanks very much for your support all these years. I'm cherishing the moment, it's absolutely awesome, all these experiences now, to share the success with all of you and with all the other people, it's been phenomenal."

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff added: "This is a brave decision by Nico and testament to the strength of his character. He has chosen to leave at the pinnacle of his career, as World Champion, having achieved his childhood dream. The clarity of his judgement meant I accepted his decision straight away when he told me.

"It's impossible to capture the essence of a person in a few short words. But Nico has a special combination of natural talent and fighting spirit that have brought him to where he is today. Throughout his career, people have thought he was on a golden path to success just because his father was a World Champion; in fact, I think in some ways that made the challenge greater - and meant he had to fight even harder with the weight of expectation on his shoulders.

"With Mercedes, Nico has been a relentless competitor, bouncing back from tough times in an inspirational way, and he earned the respect of the sport with his tenacity, his fighting spirit and his grace under pressure. Since 2010, he has poured competitive energy into our team and we have grown stronger because of it. We simply say 'thank you' for the incredible contribution he has made to our success, alongside two of the all-time great drivers, Michael and Lewis.

"For the team, this is an unexpected situation but also an exciting one. We are going into a new era of technical regulations and there is a free Mercedes cockpit for the seasons ahead. We will take the necessary time to evaluate our options and then find the right path for our future."

Mercedes has not yet announced who will replace him.

[Vince Nemanic]

It will be interesting to see how well the 2017 car development will go without Nico's intelligent, analytical input.

 

Gotta respect a man that puts Family before Sport. Best wishes, Nico!

[dublin boy]

I am surprised, but then again Hamilton wrecked his head for years.

[Xingu]

I read the article earlier today. He set a goal reached it, now he will be on to other things (family related). He may not race F1 anymore, but I doubt he has given up totally on motorsports.

[gtx6970]

Never heard of him.  but then I dont follow F1 or Indycar either.

 

Before anyone yells at me, hear me out.  I never followed either sport. Yet I know very well who Ayrton Senna , Emerson Fittipaldi or Nicki Lauda are,,,,, So its not like my head is in the sand either.

 

Regardless I wish him well . Its takes guts to walk away at the pinnacle .

[afx]

This leaves a prime race seat open.  It will interesting to see which way Mercedes goes to fill it.  Young guy leaving Hamilton as the clear #1 driver or somehow pry away an established driver from another team.

Edited December 4, 2016 by afx

[935k3]

This leaves a prime race seat open.  It will interesting to see which way Mercedes goes to fill it.  Young guy leaving Hamilton as the clear #1 driver or somehow pry away an established driver from another team.

MAX

[Bernard Kron]

Lots of interesting things about this situation. Obviously Mercedes has zero time to get this sorted out. As Toto Wolff pointed out in an interview, they need to settle on a strategy, screen available drivers, pick one and train him on working at Mercedes, the team culture, and get him on the simulator all before the end of the year (less that 4 weeks...., Yikes!). Niki Lauda has admitted to being very pissed off at the situation, although I doubt that that'll last very long. Lauda is a great one for working under pressure.

It already looks like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso have been eliminated per Wolff, and Max Verstappen can safely be struck off any list of prime drivers since he's under contract to Red Bull and is the biggest prize catch of their driver development system since Daniel Ricciardo. Which leaves the fast "B" drivers like Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hulkenberg, or the young new crop like Carlos Sainz,Jr., Lance Stroll, Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon. Of the "B" drivers, Hulkenberg is probably off the list since he quit a Mercedes client team (Force India) to go to a factory team (Renault). Bottas is also at a Mercedes client team (Williams) and Wolff has admitted it would be hugely disruptive to poach a rival team's "A" driver in December, just as testing and development heat up. I would think the same would apply to Perez at Force India. Which leaves the young up and comers. Sainz is a Red Bull driver development system product and so least likely to be picked. Lance Stroll will want the influence and control his family's money apparently has brought him at Williams and is an unknown in Formula 1. Which leaves the two Mercedes driver development system pilots, Wehrlein and Ocon. Ocon has never raced in F1 even though he landed the second seat at Force India. He's highly rated nonetheless. But he was probably placed there through Mercedes influence and it might be difficult (and expensive) to yank him from Force India. Ocon was the surprise pick over Wehrlein, many felt unfairly. The simple choice would be Wehrlein but his performance at Manor Racing in his rookie year has been mixed at best. He was fast and impressive at times, driving what is clearly an outmoded and underfunded car. But at other times he seemed more pedestrian and it's unclear if this is down to the car or him. He would be a clear #2 at Mercedes but how useful would he be in developing a new car? Frankly, is he fast enough to push the car to the limit? This was Nico Rosberg's clear advantage from the beginning and, ignoring the manufacturer's points he earned them, and ultimately the huge publicity of his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton, the data he generated pushing the cars to the absolute maximum will be sorely missed.

Which brings us to Lewis Hamilton himself. Little noticed or commented upon is that in his time in F1 Hamilton has never had any but the very best drivers as team mates. As I mentioned, this means he has had the benefit of the very best input on car development. While it may seem obvious that a driver would wish to be a clear #1 it has its downsides as well. Hamilton has said he will "respect any driver who wants to be my teammate" (LOL) and that may be the most perceptive thing anyone has said about the whole situation. You could say that the pressure of being Hamilton's teammate drove Alonso from McLaren and Rosberg into retirement! But they were ultimately both world champions. How would Hamilton respond to having anything less on the other side of the garage?

[Ace-Garageguy]

There's a lot to be said for knowing when to quit, especially when you're at the top of your game. 

If it's a game that demands 100%, if your heart and head aren't in it 100%, walk away.

[Bernard Kron]

There's a lot to be said for knowing when to quit, especially when you're at the top of your game. 

If it's a game that demands 100%, if your heart and head aren't in it 100%, walk away.

I noticed that everyone, even Niki Lauda, as pissed of as he is, has voiced nothing but respect for Rosberg's choice. He may be faulted for the suddenness of his decision, but in a game of inches and instinct, where injury and death are never far away, it's probably the right call. I can't help but think that it must have shaken Lewis' to his very core. They have known each other since childhood and for Lewis, for now, there is no question that he must continue to race, .... and to win! To choose otherwise, especially in the sudden manner that Nico did, had to have been a tremendous shock.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Bernard Kron

[Gt fan]

Retire to get out of your contract ... Wait a year and come back to race in a nice red car that has a seat after kimmi leaves ????  It will be interesting to see who they pair up with Lewis... Bring Alonso back ,,, he won't put up with Lewis's BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. 

[Xingu]

My guess is there is a clause in most of the F1 contracts that doesn't let you retire and come back next year with a new team. I think that when you retire the team still owns the "rights" to you for an extended period of time.

Mercedes should have someone ready to jump into that seat at any time. Why else would you have a driver development program.

[Earl Marischal]

Lots of interesting things about this situation. Obviously Mercedes has zero time to get this sorted out. As Toto Wolff pointed out in an interview, they need to settle on a strategy, screen available drivers, pick one and train him on working at Mercedes, the team culture, and get him on the simulator all before the end of the year (less that 4 weeks...., Yikes!). Niki Lauda has admitted to being very pissed off at the situation, although I doubt that that'll last very long. Lauda is a great one for working under pressure.

It already looks like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso have been eliminated per Wolff, and Max Verstappen can safely be struck off any list of prime drivers since he's under contract to Red Bull and is the biggest prize catch of their driver development system since Daniel Ricciardo. Which leaves the fast "B" drivers like Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hulkenberg, or the young new crop like Carlos Sainz,Jr., Lance Stroll, Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon. Of the "B" drivers, Hulkenberg is probably off the list since he quit a Mercedes client team (Force India) to go to a factory team (Renault). Bottas is also at a Mercedes client team (Williams) and Wolff has admitted it would be hugely disruptive to poach a rival team's "A" driver in December, just as testing and development heat up. I would think the same would apply to Perez at Force India. Which leaves the young up and comers. Sainz is a Red Bull driver development system product and so least likely to be picked. Lance Stroll will want the influence and control his family's money apparently has brought him at Williams and is an unknown in Formula 1. Which leaves the two Mercedes driver development system pilots, Wehrlein and Ocon. Ocon has never raced in F1 even though he landed the second seat at Force India. He's highly rated nonetheless. But he was probably placed there through Mercedes influence and it might be difficult (and expensive) to yank him from Force India. Ocon was the surprise pick over Wehrlein, many felt unfairly. The simple choice would be Wehrlein but his performance at Manor Racing in his rookie year has been mixed at best. He was fast and impressive at times, driving what is clearly an outmoded and underfunded car. But at other times he seemed more pedestrian and it's unclear if this is down to the car or him. He would be a clear #2 at Mercedes but how useful would he be in developing a new car? Frankly, is he fast enough to push the car to the limit? This was Nico Rosberg's clear advantage from the beginning and, ignoring the manufacturer's points he earned them, and ultimately the huge publicity of his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton, the data he generated pushing the cars to the absolute maximum will be sorely missed.

Which brings us to Lewis Hamilton himself. Little noticed or commented upon is that in his time in F1 Hamilton has never had any but the very best drivers as team mates. As I mentioned, this means he has had the benefit of the very best input on car development. While it may seem obvious that a driver would wish to be a clear #1 it has its downsides as well. Hamilton has said he will "respect any driver who wants to be my teammate" (LOL) and that may be the most perceptive thing anyone has said about the whole situation. You could say that the pressure of being Hamilton's teammate drove Alonso from McLaren and Rosberg into retirement! But they were ultimately both world champions. How would Hamilton respond to having anything less on the other side of the garage?

An excellent analysis. It will be a difficult decision for Mercedes and not one they would have wished upon themselves.

steve

[Jim N]

With as late as it is, they may have to find a warm body to put in the seat for 2017 and then do a more thorough search for 2018. But when a seat of this quality opens up, there are probably a number of guys' lawyers reading the escape clauses of their contracts. This will be interesting as it looked like all of the seats were spoken for at the conclusion of this season.

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Mercedes will 'consider' Fernando Alonso as Nico Rosberg replacement

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Fernando Alonso must be considered among the potential replacements for Nico Rosberg next year.

Rosberg's surprise retirement announcement on Friday leaves Mercedes with a limited amount of time to find a new teammate for Lewis Hamilton. Senior team members met at the team's factory in Brackley on Monday to discuss the decision, but with most the grid already under contract for 2017 their options could be limited.

Alonso has one more year to run on his current McLaren deal, but has made no secret of his desire to return to a winning car before the end of his career. He was teammates with Hamilton at McLaren for one explosive season in 2007 before the resulting fallout saw Alonso leave the team at the end of the year.

The prospect of managing the two drivers is thought to be too risky for Mercedes, but speaking in an interview with Sky Sports at the team's factory on Monday, Wolff did not rule out a bid for the Spaniard.

"You have to consider Fernando," Wolff said. "He is a driver I respect a lot. He combines talent, speed and experience. It's all there.

"But he is in a contract with McLaren-Honda at the moment and we just need to weigh all the other options up."

However, McLaren executive director Zak Brown is confident his star driver is not going anywhere next year.

"We have a contract with Fernando and he is very happy," he told Sky Sports. "Obviously he wants to be winning races, as do we, but I am not worried about that scenario. We are very comfortable where we are at."

 

[Bernard Kron]

Alonso and Hamilton have 9 years of F1 together since their blowup at McLaren. They seem to have the maturity and self confidence to get along now. So it is possible... However, there has been a further interview with Toto Wolff. After the Sky interview quoted above he talked with the German news agency DPA and further clarified the situation as it stands right now (courtesy of Motorsport.com):

Sauber's talks with Mercedes regarding a potential seat for Pascal Wehrlein have been put on hold while the German car manufacturer weighs up whether or not the German should join its works team next year.

Wehrlein has been eyeing a step up the grid for 2017 and, with Force India having opted for Esteban Ocon instead, one possibility was for him to join Sauber.

Mercedes had opened discussions with the Swiss team's chiefs regarding a deal to place him there for 2017, but speaking on Tuesday, the German car manufacturer's motorsport boss Toto Wolff admitted that the talks have had to stop for now.

Wehrlein is now the front-runner to make the step up to the Mercedes works teams in the wake of Nico Rosberg's shock retirement, although the outfit is aware that there is a risk taking such a youngster.

Speaking to German news agency DPA, Wolff said: "The talks between us and Sauber are at an advanced state. In the last couple of weeks I had good talks with them. But due to the new situation they are put on hold for the moment."

Wolff is a big supporter of Wehrlein, but is aware that it is not ideal asking him to face the pressure of a potential world championship campaign after just one full season in F1.

"Pascal is an ambitious young man," he said. "He has big aims and we share those aims. This is why he is part of our development programme.

"He's done a year with Manor. And if I could do a Christmas wish list I would wish for him to have another year or two at a midfield team. But there won't be a Christmas wish list for me this year.

"Therefore, we have to aim for a good compromise. And as Nico had to take a brave decision, maybe we have to take a brave decision as well."

Although Wolff told Sky earlier that Fernando Alonso was being considered, he has again expressed reluctance to get involved in a battle over contracts.

"Yes, we do respect contracts that other drivers have with other teams," he said. "Ourselves, we wouldn't want our drivers to turn their heads when a new opportunity arises. This is what contracts are there for and this we do respect.

"We don't want a situation in which we are having a confrontation or a legal battle. Of course, there's the possibility to come to terms with another team and driver if we were to find a suitable solution for both sides. I cannot exclude this possibility."

Toto Wolff is very sensitive to the whole issue of poaching drivers. This year's poacher may be next year's victim and the potential for an escalating price war is very real. The simple solution is Wehrlein if it weren't for his lack of convincing experience. My point earlier about the value of a bona fide first rank driver when it comes to data collection and car development is clearly referred to by Wolff in this interview. I'm sure this is a view shared by Hamilton, Lauda and McLaren design chief Paddy Lowe as well. Wehrlein is quite likely not ready for prime time and moving him to a top team too early might ruin both a promising career and Mercedes' championship chances. Valterri Bottas' name is quietly emerging in all this as well. He would be a good compromise so it may be a question of money and where to put Wehrlein. We'll see... In the meantime here's a wild card I haven't seen - the situation gets so bad that Rosberg finally cracks and agrees to one more year at Mercedes. I'm certain this would be Lauda's preference and quite likely Hamilton's as well. Lauda has referred to Rosberg as having "broken his contract". Unfortunately it would be a real negative for Wolff who has been a vocal supporter of Rosberg's decision all along.

[Cato]

Can Graham Rahal be the bull in this China Shop??

[afx]

Mercedes is one of the most prized seats in F1 at the moment. I don't see them looking outside F1 for a driver.  My guess is they will pry away Alonso or bring up one of there young drivers, most likely Wehrlein. 

[Cato]

Mercedes is one of the most prized seats in F1 at the moment. I don't see them looking outside F1 for a driver.  My guess is they will pry away Alonso or bring up one of there young drivers, most likely Wehrlein. 

You're right but jus' sayin'...Andretti, Lake Speed, Jeff Gordon......

[afx]

Mercedes want Williams' Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas is Mercedes' first choice to replace Nico Rosberg as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate, BBC Sport has learned.

But Williams have rejected an initial offer to release Finn Bottas from his 2017 contract.

In a separate development, Mercedes technical boss Paddy Lowe is close to finalising a deal to join Williams.

Lowe is set to be replaced at the world champions by former Ferrari technical director James Allison.

The Mercedes driver conundrum

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has zeroed in on Bottas as his favoured option as a replacement for Rosberg, who retired five days after winning his first world title last month despite having two further years on his Mercedes contract.

Wolff has approached Williams with a proposal that he gives them a major reduction in their engine bill - said to be in the region of €10m euros (£8.4m); more than half the total fee - in return for releasing Bottas.

Williams also have the option to run Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein in Bottas' place.

Wolff, who is part of Bottas' management team, sees the 27-year-old as a close like-for-like replacement for Rosberg - quick, a reliable and consistent points scorer, and relatively easy to manage alongside the more mercurial Hamilton.

Williams have said no to Wolff's first offer but negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days.

Williams' problem with losing Bottas

Williams feel they need an experienced contender in one of their cars next season because their other driver is Canadian rookie Lance Stroll.

The 18-year-old, who won the Formula Three Euroseries in 2016 and comes with a budget reputed to be at least £20m, has been on an extensive test programme intended to prepare him comprehensively for his F1 debut.

But Williams are concerned that partnering him with 22-year-old Wehrlein, who has only one year's experience with the back-of-the-grid Manor team, would be a significant risk to their chances of maximising their championship position.

Each place in the constructors' table is worth millions of pounds.

There is also a complication with Williams' sponsors, among them the drinks giant Martini, for which having two drivers under 25 does not sit well in promotional terms.

German Wehrlein is also in talks with the Swiss Sauber team, which is yet to name a team-mate for Swede Marcus Ericsson.d Flash Player here

Another option for Williams would be to replace Bottas with Brazilian Felipe Nasr, who drove for Sauber in 2015 and 2016.

Mercedes are believed to be reluctant to promote Wehrlein to a race seat because they believe he lacks the necessary experience to be a guaranteed performer who can help them retain the constructors' title.

But Mercedes' other choices are limited - every other driver with experience is contracted to a rival.

One outside possibility if a deal cannot be done with Williams is Carlos Sainz.

The 22-year-old Spaniard is under contract to Red Bull next season to continue with their junior team Toro Rosso for a third season, but sources say the drinks company would release him if Mercedes came in for him.

This has not yet been discussed extensively within Mercedes and would not be a preferred option, not least because of their difficult relationship with Red Bull.

Technical merry-go-round

Lowe's departure from Mercedes would break up the technical team that has dominated F1 since 2014.

In his role as executive director (technical), he has been in overall control of the sporting and technical sides of the team, with only Wolff in a more senior role.

Williams have been courting the 54-year-for some months and sources close to the deal say he is now on the verge of finalising an agreement to rejoin the outfit where he started his F1 career nearly 30 years ago.

Lowe has not yet held formal discussions about his future with Wolff, BBC Sport understands.

Allison has had talks with Mercedes and is said by senior insiders to have agreed a deal to run the technical and design side of the team.

The 48-year-old, who left Ferrari as part of a reshuffle in July, is one of the most highly-regarded aerodynamics experts and design leaders in F1.

Sources close to Ferrari say he is on a year's gardening leave and could not join a rival until the summer of 2017.

Lowe would also have to serve a notice period of at least six months once he and Wolff have held the talks that will determine his future.

Mercedes declined to comment.

Allison worked at Ferrari through their dominant era with Michael Schumacher between 2000 and 2004; won two drivers' titles with Fernando Alonso at Renault in 2005 and 2006; and stayed there through its change into Lotus in 2012, before moving back to Ferrari in 2013.

Following his split with the Italian team in the summer, Allison has already turned down offers from Williams and Renault. Red Bull are not interested in him.

McLaren, who came close to signing him in 2012, have been told that Allison is not available because he is committed to another team - which they believe to be Mercedes.

[935k3]

Or did he really retire? You gotta love conspiracy theories. LOL   Rosberg retirement or joke.

Edited December 12, 2016 by 935k3

[PatW]

Living just 6 miles from the Mercedes factory (5 from Force India, 12 from Red Bull, 18 from HAAS) we hear all manner of stuff! Nico didn't want Lewis to take the title from him, he made his decision to retire when he won the F1 title and he has!

Advert seen online and in the press here; Mercedes F1 are looking for a new F1 driver to take Nico's seat on the team. The driver (they don't HE) needs to able to do three things 1. to brake 2. To accelerate and 3 To Steer. And the driver needs to have one more thing; A Superlicence! But when you get to the end of the ad there is no contact nmae, no telephone number, no email address and no factory address! 

[afx]

Williams in 'advanced' talks with Felipe Massa over F1 comeback - report

Felipe Massa is in "advanced talks" with Williams about reversing his decision to retire and return to the team in 2017 if Valtteri Bottas moves to Mercedes, according to a report in L'Equipe.

Bottas' place at Williams suddenly looks in doubt as he has emerged the favourite to replace Nico Rosberg, who retired from F1 less than a week after winning his first world title. Massa stepped away from F1 after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his 250th career start, but could be back in white overalls for 2017 if the team loses Bottas.

Though Williams refused to comment on the news of Mercedes' approach for Bottas, the L'Equipe report suggests the team is preparing a contingency plan if the Finn does depart. Technical chief Pat Symonds has said Bottas' experience is crucial for Williams in 2017 as it has signed 18-year-old Canadian Lance Stroll.

Massa's extensive experience would make him a perfect candidate to replace Bottas and would solve the potential dilemma Williams would face in a driver market thin on available candidates.

The report goes on to state Williams will be given a £8.4 million discount on its power unit supply by Mercedes if it releases Bottas from his contract to join the world champions.

[Bernard Kron]

Interesting. Obvious really, if you think about it. I think more than anything Massa retired because there were no competitive drives available in F1 pre-Rosberg so he's ready. Ironically this would be Massa's second reprive from retirement, as there were strong rumours of his retirement when he left Ferrari until Williams realized they could use his considerable talent and experience as part of their re-build efforts. But you have to assume that the Bottas deal is really on the front burner now, which it should be because Mercedes has always needed a top, top driver as Rosberg's replacement given the ultra-short notice. Anything less, and Wehrlein would be less, and their Championship effort would take a serious setback. At Williams £8.4 million would go a long way. They would probably get to keep a fair amount of it relative to what they would save not paying Bottas vs. enticing Massa. Massa himself is still, on his day, at least as fast as Bottas and, of course, completely familar with everything at Williams including the 2017 car. Besides, as one of the bona fide Nice Guys on Planet F1, he could be a great mentor to young (18 year old) Lance Stroll. Bottas himself is a cool customer and would readily stand up to Hamiltons mind games, no problem, IMHO.

Of course, as I mentioned earlier, the ultimate Comeback would be for Rosberg to un-retire himself...

Meanwhile Mercedes is under pressure from another side as Mercedes design chief Paddy Lowe may be set to move to Williams. It seems Toto Wolff kept putting off renewing Lowe's contract, and now, with just days to go to the end of the year, Lowe finds himself in the unque position of being within the 6-month window that would allow him to switch teams without the usual 6-month "Garden Leave" where staff is paid to not work by their old teram to prevent data transfer to the new team. This makes Lowe extremely valuable and the rumour is that Lance Stroll's family money has much to do with Williams offer which seems to have been prompted by feelings Lowe has that Mercedes was perhaps taking him a bit for granted... It makes one wonder what it is about Mercedes' team culture that has prompted Rosberg to retire and Lowe to look elsewhere. Tough times for Mssrs. Wolff and Lauda, no doubt. And Lewis Hamilton, too...

AND NOW, THIS JUST IN... (courtesy of Motorsports.com - emphasis added)

Claire Williams has confirmed under-contract driver Valtteri Bottas could be allowed to join Mercedes,
provided his current team's 2017 campaign isn't compromised as a result.

Williams' acknowledgement of Mercedes interest - and the possibility of doing a deal - comes on the heels of the German marque clarifying it would not announce a replacement for F1 champion Nico Rosberg until January 3 at earliest.

It also goes against Williams tech chief Pat Symonds' insistence that Bottas is "crucial" to Williams' 2017 plans.

Rosberg shocked the motorsport world by announcing his decision to retire from F1 on December 2, shortly after winning his maiden championship.

It was a decision that Mercedes higher-ups admitted had caught them off-guard, the team faced with an urgent search for a teammate to Lewis Hamilton for 2017.

Bottas - whose career is managed by a team that includes Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff - was thought to be high on the list of candidates from the very beginning.

"I'm delighted to see that a team like Mercedes lists Valtteri as a potential replacement for Nico," Claire Williams, deputy principal of the Williams F1 team, told BBC Sport.

"We have always known Valtteri is one of the sport's key talents and are proud that the championship leaders recognise this.

"However, Williams has its own ambitions and we must always ensure we give our team the best opportunity to move forward. Any changes would only be made if Williams remains in a strong position to compete and develop in 2017."

The Williams team, which has its engines supplied by Mercedes, had announced a line-up of Bottas and 18-year-old Canadian rookie Lance Stroll for 2017.

Parallel to Mercedes' interest in Bottas, the Grove-based team is set to hire the German F1 squad's current tech chief Paddy Lowe.

Williams newcomer Stroll was to replace retiring F1 veteran Felipe Massa in the line-up - but the Brazilian could now feature on next year's F1 grid after all.

"If we did allow Valtteri to leave, we would only do this if an experienced, credible alternative was available, such as someone like Felipe Massa, for example," Williams was quoted as saying the same day as a report in France's L'Equipe suggested her team was indeed in talks with the Brazilian over a 2017 return.

"Whatever we decide, it must be in the best interests of this team."

Should Williams allow Mercedes to sign Bottas for 2017, it will come as a heavy blow to the German marque's protege Pascal Wehrlein, who was the other main contender for the seat, and who would instead likely look to Sauber or Manor to continue his F1 career.

[afx]

Looks like Bottas is going to Mercedes.

 

Massa agrees 2017 Williams deal, according to reports

Felipe Massa has signed a deal to come out of retirement and return to Williams as Valtteri Bottas' replacement, according to multiple reports.

Massa had planned to retire from Formula One following this year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and received an emotional send off at his home race in Brazil last month. However, a surprise return in 2017 would answer the biggest question hanging over F1 today by paving the way for former teammate Bottas to replace retiring world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.

Bottas currently tops Mercedes' wishlist, but his 2017 Williams contract has so far prevented a straight switch to the world champions. Williams has been reluctant to let him go amid fears it will destabilise the team under next year's new regulations, but Massa's return would provide the continuity the technical side of the team is looking for.

A report on Brazil's Grande Premio website said Massa signed a contract on Monday that gives Williams an option on his services if Mercedes goes ahead with the Bottas deal. Massa would partner 18-year-old rookie Lance Stroll, who joins the team off the back of championship success in Formula 3.

Last week deputy team principal Claire Williams said she would only let Bottas go if a credible replacement can be found in time. That sparked rumours that Massa could return, with the Brazilian driver posting a cryptic tweet ahead of a family holiday on Friday.

If Massa does return next year it will be his 15th season in Formula One and his fourth consecutive year racing for Williams.