Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff is hoping Valtteri Bottas can shake off a tough 2018, fearing the issues he faced have “damaged” him.
The Finn admitted he needs some time away from a Formula 1 track after another disappointing race in Abu Dhabi, dropping down to fifth mid-race having run second for a while.
It was also characteristic of a season that saw the 29-year-old fail to win a race after poor luck intervened early and left Bottas playing a ‘wingman’ role to teammate Lewis Hamiton.
“He was really good until Baku,” Wolff told Channel 4. “I think he would have won the race there without the puncture and he would have been in the lead of the championship.
“After a long conservation, I believe that when you have no shot any more of the championship, and you know you need to give up, it kind of damages you mentally,” the Austrian added.
“I hope it’s not the case, he says not, he’s a strong Finn and a warrior but now over the winter we have to pick him up again and get him back to a good place.”
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Bottas will head into 2019 with a new voice in his ear and man in the garage as race engineer Tony Ross moves over to Mercedes’ Formula E project ahead of their debut in Season 6.
“He’s had enough of you guys!” Wolff jibed to Crash.net revealing Ross will be the chief engineer in the new Formula E team.
“He’s going to dash off into a funny environment with only one race day and funky cities.
“Who replaces him, who, we’re discussing that. Give me a few weeks.”