Mercedes are determined to put the brakes on Ferrari’s resurgence when the Formula One circuit heads to Russia this weekend.
The world champions have watched their rivals win the last three Grands Prix, with rookie Charles Leclerc taking two chequered flags and four-time drivers’ champ Sebastian Vettel ending a 13-month wait for a win.
Merc ace Valtteri Bottas admits it won’t be easy to stop the rampant Italian Stallions at the Sochi Autodrom.
He says: “I think [in the race in Singapore on Sunday] they weren’t the quickest ones but, for sure, in the qualifying they were and, in this track, that’s such a key.
“So, we know they’ve made better steps than us, so all we can do is to try and make the car quicker.
I’m sure we still have some new bits on the way, but if it’s going to be enough, we’ll see.”
AHEAD: Lewis Hamilton leads the F1 Table. Picture: Vincent Thian/AP.
The Finn has happy memories of the Russian circuit, claiming his maiden F1 victory there in 2017.
And trailing his teammate Lewis Hamilton in the race for the title by 65 points, Bottas says he has some unfinished business this weekend.
He adds: “I’m looking forward to it, I’ve got some unfinished business in Sochi.
“It has normally been a good track for me and I need to make sure it will be again.
“Obviously, it could be a good track for Ferrari with all the straights, but we’re going there with a good feeling and determined to finish it better than last year and in a different way.”