Bottas: Playing the long game at Williams

Valtteri Bottas is putting it all on the line to make his Friday-role at Williams turn in to a fulltime Formula 1 ride. Sam Tremayne finds out why the GP3 Series champion believes it's worth the risk and why Bottas thinks it is perfect opportunity to shine

Valtteri Bottas stands in a privileged position heading into the 2012 Formula 1 season. While for some the third driver role may be a bit of a misnomer, the 22-year-old Finn enters the season knowing that he will drive on 15 Fridays – roughly three quarters of the year's events, give or take a Bahrain Grand Prix. It is, as he admits, the perfect opportunity.

The role of the third driver has been subverted in recent years by the ban on in-season testing, making almost obsolete the role drivers like Alex Wurz, Olivier Panis and Pedro de la Rosa previously enjoyed.

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