Bottas must perform to keep his seat in 2020 - Wolff

Mercedes team supremo, Toto Wolff has set the bar for Valtteri Bottas in order for the Finn to retain his seat beyond 2019.

Toto Wolff is the team principal of Mercedes AMG.

According to Mercedes team principal, Bottas must be able to perform at the same level as their star driver, Lewis Hamilton; if the Finn is to keep his seat in 2020.

It is worth mentioning the fact that Frenchman Esteban Ocon is already signed as a Mercedes reserve driver and he will hold no horses to carve a way back into a full time role in Formula 1 in 2020, that too with none other than Mercedes.

This statement from Wolff comes at a time when it is already evident that Bottas had a woeful and a melancholic campaign in 2018 that was marred by misfortune as well as at times, team orders.

"Valtteri knows exactly where he needs to be next year," said Wolff. "He needs to have all the bad luck gone and perform on a level with Lewis.

A victory in the streets of Baku looked anything but certain until misfortune struck and Bottas ran over some debris, resulting in retirement.

Bottas retired in the final laps of the race from the lead in Baku after a punctured tire. Bottas retired with an engine failure in Austria after securing the pole a day earlier. Further bad luck included Vettel running into him at the race start in France as well as Mercedes asking him to concede lead to Hamilton in Russia where the Finn was on course for a likely victory.

"That is what is needed for the 2020 year. He knows very well that, and he has that in him."

Wolff understands the fact that if the lead driver in the team happens to improve his performance with time, the second driver must too. He believes that a better performing teammate is the key to motivation, specially when that teammate is a 5 times world champion.

"Lewis improving means Valtteri needs to improve," explained Wolff. "I've seen that improvement all the time with him, but you are going against a five-time world champion.

"He needs a start where is right up there with Lewis and all the other drivers for the championship, that is what he needs."

Lewis Hamilton won his 5th world title in Mexico last year as he cemented himself among the greatest drivers Formula 1 has ever seen.

Toto Wolff didn't hesitate to commend and laud Lewis Hamilton, claiming that the 2018 season was the best of Lewis that he has seen in the past 6 years.

"We are seeing the best Lewis that I've seen in the last six years, and there is a reason why he is a five-time world champion," he said.

"Beating a five-time world champion at the peak of his activity, peak of his performance, is going to be very difficult and Valtteri knows that. But I think that he has it in him.

Although, the Mercedes boss had a few words of motivation to encourage Bottas for the forthcoming season. Wolff admitted to belief that if Bottas ups his game, he can go on to even win the championship.

"I think that he can win – he has proven it this year on a few occasions, but he had bad luck or was in a position where he could not win.

"I think if that turns into a positive momentum that is actually driving for the championship, I think that Valtteri can win the championship."

This article first appeared on Motorsport. Click here

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