Williams prefer Valtteri Bottas over Esteban Ocon for 2025 seat due to key reason

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Williams Racing have had one driver signed up for beyond the 2024 Formula 1 season for some time, but appear to be having some trouble completing their line-up.

Alex Albon decided despite being on the shortlist of several other teams on the grid to stay at Williams beyond the end of this season.

However, team principal James Vowles isn’t having the best time finding a teammate for the Thai driver.

His current partner Logan Sargeant doesn’t look set to be offered a third season in Formula 1.

Sargeant has reportedly been in talks with moving to IndyCar next year after failing to score a point in the sport aside from a disqualification-assisted 10^th-place finish in Austin last year.

Carlos Sainz is Williams’s first choice to partner Albon next season having lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton.

The Spaniard looked very close to announcing he would be joining the Grove-based team, however, Williams are starting to run out of patience with the time he’s taking to decide.

Journalist Glenn Freeman was speaking about the situation on The Race’s YouTube channel.

He believes that Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas and Alpine star Esteban Ocon are the two drivers Williams are looking at, but have decided that one key reason why they prefer the Finn is they can’t sign Sainz.

With the Frenchman’s exit from Alpine already confirmed, he may be beginning to worry that he’s too far down on the shortlists of several teams to earn a seat for next year.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship

Williams place Valtteri Bottas over Esteban Ocon on 2025 driver shortlist

Talking about the situation at Williams next season, Freeman said: “If Williams is serious and about to move things on with or without [Carlos] Sainz, the ball might finally start rolling for the other drivers stuck in the queue.

“Williams is looking at [Valtteri] Bottas and [Esteban] Ocon with both drivers known well to [James] Vowles due to several years together at Mercedes.

“Bottas raced there from 2017 to 2021, while Ocon was a junior, reserve and simulator driver who’s still effectively managed by Mercedes.

“From what we hear, Bottas is the favourite there as Ocon’s record for scrapping too much with his teammates count against him.

“That could hurt Ocon with Audi too, he seems to be the main backup to Sainz, but isn’t so highly coveted that Audi is keen to rush a deal to lock him down, so Haas seems to be Ocon’s best bet.”

READ MORE: Alpine driver Esteban Ocon’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Should Williams choose Valtteri Bottas or Esteban Ocon if Carlos Sainz snubs a move?

In an ideal world, Williams won’t have to look any further down their shortlist than the top name and Sainz will announce he’s heading to Grove next season.

However, Alpine have made an improved bid for Sainz recently and Flavio Briatore has said that the team will do everything to sign the three-time race winner.

That leaves Williams in a position where they may have to choose between Bottas and Ocon for next year.

There are several reasons why a move for the 10-time F1 race winner makes more sense than offering Ocon a seat at this stage.

READ MORE: Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas’ life outside F1 from girlfriend to wine and gin

Firstly, Bottas already knows that team having started with Formula 1 career with Williams.

As explained above, he’s also a lot less likely to run into his teammate, something that Ocon has developed a reputation for and Martin Brundle believes will stop him from ever earning a seat at a top team.

Williams also have an awful lot of work to do to catch up to the rest of the teams in the midfield, let alone at the front of the grid.

Bottas has a reputation for offering brilliant feedback and helping teams develop their cars.

While that hasn’t paid off at Sauber this season, it may be exactly what Williams need ahead of the next set of regulations.