Bottas: "We know that this area is one of Red Bull's strengths"

Valtteri Bottas knows what Mercedes need to do to take their eighth consecutive Formula One title this year at the expense of Red Bull Racing. The world championship number five argues that the overall package needs to be better understood and the set-up further refined each weekend.

"I think we can get even more out of the car," Bottas is quoted by Speedweek.com. The Mercedes driver believes there is still a lot of potential in the W12. "If we can improve the handling and make the balance more reliable in the corners, then we can move up a notch."

The Finn knows exactly what Mercedes need to work on in order to fully close the gap with Red Bull or, on the contrary, be able to run away from the Austrian rival. "We need to understand the total package better and refine the set-up. A total of 23 Grands Prix is a long time to get to know your car. We just need to be more efficient than the other teams in terms of development," he explained.

Further development of W12

"We know that this area is one of Red Bull's strengths, but we just need to work faster," said Bottas, who knows that new regulations will make their way into Formula One in 2022. All teams will have to decide when to stop developing the current car.

In any case, Bottas expects the most difficult season in a long time for his German employer. "Nobody is going to dominate the championship," is the 31-year-old driver's prediction.