Sirotkin expects Williams F1 2019 decision "soon"

Sergey Sirotkin believes his Formula 1 future should be resolved “quite soon” as he looks set to remain with Williams for 2019.

Williams holds two of the six remaining F1 seats yet to be filled for next year, although the team is expected to retain the services of Sirotkin - whose career has been supported by backing from SMP Racing - for a second campaign.

The Russian has endured a tough rookie season amid Williams’ ongoing struggles, with the British squad slipping to the bottom of F1’s pecking order in 2018 after an aggressive change in car design backfired.

“I definitely know what I want to be doing,” Sirotkin said. “I’m not sure I can guarantee something right here, right now, but, I mean, I think it’s quite obvious, with the way everything is developing.

“It’s quite obvious what I want and it’s something that should happen quite soon. I have no guarantees right now, right here, but at the same time I’m not too much worried about the future.”

Williams is set to field at least one new driver in its 2019 line-up with Lance Stroll poised to partner Sergio Perez at Force India next season following its takeover by a consortium led by his father, Lawrence Stroll.

The anticipated move leaves Esteban Ocon at risk of facing a year on the sidelines, with the Frenchman insisting a switch to Williams would not act a downgrade as discussions over his future continue.

Other names understood to be in the frame include fellow Mercedes junior and current Formula 2 championship leader George Russell, Russian-backed F2 frontrunner Artem Markelov and Williams test and reserve driver Robert Kubica.