Bottas: "No worries" about new Mercedes contract if targets hit

Valtteri Bottas is confident of landing another Mercedes contract as he heads into the new Formula 1 season proclaiming himself to be in the best shape of his life.

Bottas' future has again been the subject of speculation of late, notably as Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff claimed he could not ignore the availability of Sebastian Vettel, with the four-time champion leaving Ferrari at the end of the year.

The Finn, however, recently stated that he was informed by the team they were not considering Vettel.

One driver waiting in the wings is reserve George Russell, currently learning his craft with Williams, with Wolff declaring it was a situation he and the team "are looking at with interest".

An unruffled Bottas, though, knows what he has to do to ensure he is not overlooked for the young Briton.

"I'm only contracted for this year. That's how the contracts were made before," Bottas said in an F1 Instagram Live interview.

"But we still haven't done a single race, so any speculation before we start racing is talking, no more than that, and it's not a new situation for me. It's been the same every single year.

"Year by year I've been learning how to deal with this kind of thing, avoiding the pressure of it.

"I've one single target in my mind for this season, and I'll try to take all the other thoughts away. If I can follow those targets and my performance targets, and if our team can perform well, then there's going to be no worries about any contract."

Bottas is aware if he is to hit those targets in what will be a shortened, high-intensity season, he has to start fast and maintain the pace, unlike last year when he was unable to follow through on his early momentum.

The 30-year-old, however, concedes he could not be any fitter ahead of the campaign that starts in Austria on July 5.

"Training-wise, I've never had this kind of training slot in my whole career," said Bottas, referring to the extended lockdown period.

"Three weeks ago I did fitness tests, that I do once or twice every year, and it was by far the best ever in my life. I'm in good shape.

"It's going to be a special season, it's going to be shorter than normal, so to be on it from the first race onwards is going to be the key thing. I'm just ready. I feel as good as I've ever been."

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