Bottas hits back at Rosberg comparison

Valtteri Bottas railed against a comparison to Nico Rosberg, but says he has a plan in order to follow in his Mercedes predecessor's footsteps and beat Lewis Hamilton to title glory in 2020.

With Mercedes proving unstoppable yet again in 2019, Bottas was unable to keep pace with Hamilton in an all-Silver drivers' title race – Hamilton securing his sixth crown in Austin last time out.

Bottas has gotten closer to challenging Hamilton than his previous years at Mercedes, however, and Rosberg recently said that the Finn's mental approach earlier in the season was the perfect method to get the better of the Briton – something he managed in 2016.

Asked if he would consider adopting mind games, like Rosberg, Bottas said: "To be honest, I am slightly already bored about that question because every driver is individual. I am me I am not Nico.

"For sure I have plans to find the different ways of how I want to achieve my goal, which is ultimately the championship. That means beating my teammate but also many other drivers.

"I always preferred to do the talking on track and, if I am able to keep up my performance and put all the energy I have into my performance, then that is best for me.

"If I start wasting my energy elsewhere, it might take my mind off the driving which is what really matters.

"If I can perform at the level I want, that normally upsets the other side of the garage a little bit, and I know being on the other side as well it can lead you to mistakes.

"I have a plan for next year but I am not willing to share it so we will find out."

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