Schumacher's harsh verdict: "Can't go into next season with a driver like that"

Valtteri Bottas closes his fourth season as Lewis Hamilton's teammate at Mercedes this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Although the beginning of 2019 seemed promising, he has not been able to really match Hamilton in any of those years. In the second half of 2020 the difference seems bigger than ever, but he already has the contract for 2021.

Yet Ralf Schumacher is not so sure that the Finn will actually be in the car next year. Certainly not after seeing George Russell in Bahrain last weekend. According to Schumacher, if this bad form continues in Abu Dhabi, then, despite Toto Wolff's contradictory words, anything is still possible.

"Perhaps it will all depend on the last race," says Ralf to Motorsport-Total.com. "But if he has another weekend like this the risk is too great. His performance in the last few races was really bad. With a driver like that you can't enter the next season and expect to win the constructors' title."

End of Bottas' career?

"I think after the weekend George Russell showed, he's a bit broken and no one at Mercedes will want to take the risk anymore. I would almost be surprised if he could rehabilitate himself this weekend," said Schumacher, who also has his doubts if Bottas will be able to go somewhere else.

"I suspect it will mean the end of his career. I don't think anyone is saying 'yeah!' at the moment. If Mercedes does replace him now, they have good reason to do so," concludes Schumacher. According to him, a team like Williams would now prefer Sergio Perez or Nico Hulkenberg.