Bottas looking to build on 'positive' 2019 season

Valtteri Bottas enjoyed his strongest ever Formula One campaign in 2019. Four wins and only finishing off the podium in six of the 21 Grand Prix, the Finn says he has a 'good base to build on' in 2020.

Officially launching the Mercedes 2020 Formula One car, the W11, Bottas was in a positive mood as he seeks to build on what was ultimately an incredibly successful season where trips to the podium became common-place for the 30-year old.

"For sure, it's a good base to build on," said Bottas. "It was a really positive season. Lots of learning, lots of improvements and I really could feel the progress in many areas, and working on my weaknesses with the team so that's why it has been nice to build on that.

"Obviously, always in the winter it's a great opportunity to step back, look at the bigger picture and really take in everything from the previous season and process it and learn and improve."

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Entering his seventh season of Grand Prix racing, his fourth with the Mercedes team, Bottas was looking forward to getting back behind the wheel. Nominated as the driver to drive the W11 first, Lewis Hamilton scheduled to take to the tack later on Friday, Bottas said that, despite the lack of an outwards showing of excitement, he was genuinely excited by getting to play first.

"I am excited. Maybe it doesn't show but it's getting back to driving a Formula One car and it's always completely new machinery. Nothing is really the same to the previous car," said Bottas.

"To get that feel, how it feels, how the car handles, how is the aero feeling, how does the engine feels, it is exciting because that is going to be the weapon that we will be using this year."

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