Villeneuve: Bottas could lose seat during 2019
Dec.3 - Jacques Villeneuve thinks Valtteri Bottas' days at Mercedes could be numbered.
Ross Brawn, the F1 sporting boss, thinks the Finnish driver's performance was the champion team's only significant weakness in 2018.
Some have suggested Bottas could benefit from the advice of Nico Rosberg, the former Mercedes driver who overcame defeat to beat Lewis Hamilton to the title two years ago.
"No, I don't need his advice," Germany's formula1.de quotes Bottas as saying. "I need to find my own way both as a driver and a man."
Speed Week quotes Bottas as saying that he will drive "as though I have nothing to lose" in 2019.
But Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion, thinks Bottas could actually lose his seat.
He said the season finale in Abu Dhabi recently was even "embarrassing" for the 29-year-old.
"I think there is a possibility that Bottas will be replaced by Esteban Ocon during the 2019 season," Villeneuve is quoted by Sky Italia.
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I used to think of Bottas very highly and enjoyed watching him drive along Masa. His mixed performance at Mercedes and his flat personality that earned him a nickname Robottas made me lose interest. (Still remember his radio to the mechanics "minimal talking," as he was losing pace in the race and wallowing somewhere in the upper midfield. A casual comment instantly popped up "minimal pace.") Now that he has been added to the select group of drivers to dump on I, of course, support him.
Me too Simon,people must remember Merc IS LEWIS first and formost ,BOTTAS is dumped on by MERC to the advantage of Lewis at all times sad but true,this wont change ever.
Toto Wolff seems to be preparing to dump Bottas. His statements are quite blunt saying that Bottas is mentally beaten. Several races back when he called Bottas "an exceptional wingman" Bottas intuitively sensed he is being eased out. Wolff attempted to walk back that slight, but not terribly convincingly. None of us are qualified to advise Bottas on what to do, but I would not be surprised if he made some drastic decision like put up a fight and not play a supporting role to Hamilton, or simply left Mercedes.
Thank
Today
Partick
Bottas has the misfortune of being Hamilton’s team mate in that Hamilton is a much better Driver !!! And Hamilton never gives up!