Valtteri Bottas under Lewis Hamilton's skin - Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg

Bottas under Hamilton's skin - Rosberg

Like Nico in 2016?

Matthew Scott

Saturday 30 March 2019 15:28

Lewis Hamilton's former rival Nico Rosberg believes Valtteri Bottas has gotten under the reigning champion's skin at the start of the 2019 campaign. Bottas beat Hamilton comfortably in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and has shown impressive form in Bahrain so far this week.

Hamilton failed to win from pole in Australia for the fourth year in a row two weeks' ago, a run started by Rosberg's 2016 triumph, which preceded the German's title win that year.

Bottas needs a big year after failing to win a race in 2018 and got off to the perfect start.

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And Rosberg, who knows better than most about getting the better of Hamilton, believes Bottas is on the right track to do similar in 2019.

"Valtteri is really trying to get under Lewis' skin at the moment. He's giving it everything, and I think he's doing a good job," Rosberg said on Sky Sports' Bahrain GP coverage.

"It's always small steps at a time, and you've got to pull Lewis down from his high-flying confidence. He's doing it, and then you start to see Lewis getting a few doubts and things like that. That's the way to go for him.

"I think he's done a very good job over the winter to reset. He's sent a few messages with the beard, over the radio in Melbourne, a rather strong message, the race start, an awesome start. It's all these things that add up!

"It just gives you this momentum and self confidence that you need."