Formula 1 motorsport director Ross Brawn has hailed Valtteri Bottas after his latest victory in Azerbaijan.
The Finn once again proved cool under pressure to keep teammate Lewis Hamilton at bay throughout the race and score his second win of the season to reclaim the championship lead.
Most notably, it was a success that put to bed the demon of 2018, when a late puncture cost him a certain win, and how he has bounced back is what most impressed the former Mercedes boss.
“Valtteri Bottas has managed to raise his game to fight against an extraordinary champion in Lewis Hamilton,” Brawn said in his post-race debrief.
“I have seen for myself how a driver can suffer, consciously or not, from being in the same team as a truly great champion and Lewis is one of the greatest we have seen.
“It can be incredibly intimidating and cause a driver to fall below their true ability. Getting out of that mindset can be difficult and takes a lot of effort, especially on the mental side,” he noted.
“Valtteri has managed it and he has shown grit and determination in the first four races and especially in the way he has taken the fight to Lewis in qualifying has been really impressive.”
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Mercedes’ 1-2 finish on Sunday also set a new record with four consecutive perfect results for a team to start a new season.
“It sets an incredible standard for this season,” Brawn said.
“Congratulations therefore to Mercedes who are showing once again this year that they’re not prepared to rest on their laurels.”
