Hakkinen tips Bottas for 2020 championship success

Double Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen expects Valtteri Bottas to emerge as the drivers' champion at the end of the 2020 season.

Bottas has shown on numerous occasions that he is a formidable foe, but never has the Finn managed to provide a sustained championship threat to teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Nevertheless, Hakkinen has tipped his countryman for title success.

“Valtteri has a great position in Mercedes," Hakkinen told the F1 Nation podcast. "He’s a mega-great driver. I am confident that he is better than ever, so I have an extremely high expectation for him to be world champion this year.

“That’s what we’ve been working very hard on for years, [gathering] all the qualities, all the tools for him to get there."

Speculation as to who will partner Hamilton at Mercedes in 2021 has seen many write off the long-term prospects of Bottas with the team.

However, the Finn enjoyed his strongest ever campaign in 2019, recording four of his total seven grands prix victories.

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