Bottas hints Williams future now secure

Valtteri Bottas has hinted that his future in F1 is now settled, even though Williams is yet to officially announce it.

It is now almost an open paddock secret that the British team will line up next year with the Finn alongside rookie Lance Stroll, the newly-crowned European F3 champion.

Spain's El Mundo Deportivo newspaper claims that Bottas has pushed for his extended contract to include a clause allowing him to leave in the event that Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari want to sign him.

When asked about his future at Sepang, Bottas told Finnish television MTV: "Maybe I know what I'm doing, maybe I don't.

"In any case, the time is getting closer."

When asked if he doesn't know or simply can't tell, the 27-year-old admitted: "I don't want to say. I hope that soon, everything will be 100 per cent ready."

Bottas was also asked about reports that, following a recent seat belt incident, Williams is testing the product of another manufacturer at Suzuka.

"We are testing it in practice," he said. "That's all I can say. Then we will decide what to do in the future."