Valtteri Bottas says he will look at other options within Formula 1 if he was not kept on by Mercedes after the 2021 season.
Bottas joined Mercedes in 2017 after spending four years with Williams, since when he has taken nine wins and twice finished runner-up in the standings, as team-mate to Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton has committed to Mercedes through the 2023 season after a fresh two-year contract was agreed between the parties on Friday in Austria.
Mercedes is set to decide in the summer whether to retain Bottas or promote junior George Russell, who is in the final season of a three-year deal with Williams.
“For me I just realised it is already July and the August break is only two races away after this one, so soon we will have to discuss, but not today or not tomorrow,” said Bottas, speaking after qualifying in Austria.
“First I want to get the understanding from the team, what is the plan, which driver they want in the other car – Lewis is confirmed, the other is still free, so the team needs to decide and I need to have that discission.
“But I also feel I still have many, many years still left in me, I enjoy racing, I love racing, I love Formula 1, so it’s definitely not time to go to other forms of motorsport in the coming years.
“If that wasn’t the case that I wouldn’t continue with Mercedes, of course I would look at other options, but it is not something I need to think about now and I also have good management team, and they haven’t told me anything yet.”
Russell, who secured his highest grid spot with Williams of eighth for Sunday’s race, asserted that he is not focusing on the situation surrounding his future.
“I’m really not pressuring everybody as I want to do my talking on the track, as if I do the job there everything will sort itself out,” said Russell.
“Mercedes knows me so well throughout the year and I’m in contact with them daily, as it has been for the last three years, they’ll get it done when they believe is the right time, whichever way they decide to go.”
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