Mercedes' "surprising" pace has offered up "hope" for Saudi Arabia - Bottas

Valtteri Bottas is confident Mercedes can extend its good run of form in Saudi Arabia after finding "surprising" pace in Qatar.

Mercedes saw its advantage in the constructors' championship over rivals Red Bull cut to just five points as Bottas suffered a retirement at the Losail International Circuit via damage to the car sustained from a puncture midway through the race.

Team-mate Lewis Hamilton, however, delivered an impeccable performance across the weekend to clinch back-to-back wins following his triumph in Brazil a week earlier.

The pace of the car was particularly impressive, catching many observers unawares, including Bottas who now feels the team can head into another unknown in the new street track in Saudi Arabia feeling buoyant.

"It was a bit surprising, actually, how good it was," said Bottas. "It seems like tracks with high-speed content are pretty good for us.

"It gives us hope for Saudi. We're on a good run at the moment, good form with good performance. Hopefully, we can keep up the good momentum and good work."

Mercedes has made high-speed gains on Red Bull

Suggested to Bottas Mercedes had now definitively closed the gap on Red Bull in the high-speed sections given it appeared to previously have the edge, he said: "I think so.

"We've learned a lot with the set-up. We're setting up the car a bit different nowadays than the beginning of the year."

Bottas has confirmed to enjoying the Jeddah Street Circuit on the simulator, with the Finn to undergo another session next week before flying out.

"It's quite high speed," assessed Bottas. "Qatar worked for us and hopefully that will as well. It's quite similar in terms of overtaking so it will be difficult. We'll see."

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