Bottas: Next year I will drive it like I stole it

Bottas is under pressure to deliver next year as young Esteban Ocon waits in the wings for his shot in a Silver Arrow, which is the plan, apparently, if the driver of car #77 fails to impress again.

Reflecting on his season in Abu Dhabi, Bottas told reporters, “This sport is funny, you never know what happens in the future, but I think the right mentality for me to approach next year is like I have nothing to lose. I just want to go for it and drive like I stole it, like it’s my last race, last day ever. So, yeah, I think that’s it. That’s a good plan.”

Bottas gifted a win to Hamilton this season, which meant he ended the year without a victory. Furthermore, the World Champion started from pole 11 times, his teammate only managed it on two occasions.

Thus it ended 11 wins to Hamilton and zero wins for Bottas, prompting Sky Italia F1 World Champ, turned pundit, Jacques Villeneuve to suggest that the 'wingman' had dropped to levels of his Williams days. No progress in other words.

Not so insists Bottas, "For sure the first season was tough but you can’t compare. For Williams in 2013, we were fighting at the back and I felt in my first year I was kind of meeting my goals."

“Then the few seasons after I drove better and better, and then this one. Last year was quite different to this one. It was my first year with the team, my first year against Lewis. I remember this time last year overall for the season I was disappointed. I didn’t meet my targets."

“But now, when I look back, at least I won a few races. So now at this point, I am even more disappointed for sure. I think it is the worst season so far,” admitted the 29-year-old.

Formula.de suggested he could turn to Nico Rosberg, who knows a thing or two of how to bet Hamilton, for advice, to which Bottas replied, "No, I don't need his advice. I need to find my own way both as a driver and a man."