According to an Italian publication, Corriere dello Sport, Ferrari has signed Valtteri Bottas to replace Kimi Räikkönen for the 2016 season, buying the Finn out of his Williams contract. It seems to be the common opinion that Räikkönen will not returning to Formula One after this season. That being said, just how accurate are Corriere dello Sport’s allegations?
The true story is that this is just speculation. According to big, reliable sources the reports that Valtteri Bottas has completed a contract for Ferrari in 2016 are false. It’s not to say that Bottas hasn’t been considered for a Ferrari seat or that he may get a contract for 2016, but nothing has been verified yet. In addition, it appears to be more than likely that Kimi Räikkönen will retire at the end of this season, but nothing about this speculation has been verified yet either.
The truth of the matter is that any writer with a website or some other form of publication can claim to have insider connections and can make up wild speculation. This particular publication has fabricated this information for the sole purpose of generating viewers. This is not legitimate journalism and is, in my opinion, a disgrace to the journalism community.
Again, it is not to say that this deal isn’t in the works or that it couldn’t eventually happen, but it’s fair to say that it is not completed as of yet.
