Source: Mercedes-Benz Archive

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Brundle: Bottas needs a sports psychologist

Brundle: "Bottas needs a sports psychologist"

26-11-2018 15:29
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

Sky Sports F1 pundit and Formula 1 legend Martin Brundle has written that Valtteri Bottas should hire a sports psychologist, as the Finn looked mentally beaten in the latter stages of the 2018 season.

Bottas eventually finished fifth in the drivers' championship, losing out on fourth place because of Max Verstappen's recent surge in form. The Dutchman has stood on the podium for the last five consecutive Grands Prix, while Bottas couldn't finish higher than fifth in Abu Dhabi.

There was one race where Bottas truly was better than his teammate Lewis Hamilton, and that was in Russia. He qualified on pole position and led throughout the whole race, only for Mercedes to order the 29-year-old to stand down and let Hamilton win. Brundle thinks he never recovered from that hammer-blow.

"Valtteri needs a sports psychologist this winter if he doesn't already have one," Brundle writes in his column for Sky Sports.

"And [he needs] to take time out, look at his trophies and accolades to remind himself what a great driver he is, and to position his mind such that there's really nothing to lose now, just let the natural talent flow.

"Easier said than done when not only does he have to look at Lewis's tattooed back, his lap time data, and his rear wing in a race, but parked just over his shoulder now is reserve driver Esteban Ocon…

"Lewis says that he doubts Valtteri would want to be handed back a soft victory, but he happily took one in Sochi albeit with common sense at the time I suppose in the fight against Ferrari and Vettel."