Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsWilliams

Bottas looking to improve on Brazilian track record

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Valterri Bottas heads to Interlagos with a rather mitigated performance record accomplished in Brazil in the last two years.

The Williams driver who currently lies 4th in the championship standings retired in 2013 and finished 10th last year, so an improvement is certianly in the cards and won't require much of an effort given his string of good results this season.

"I haven’t had the best races in Brazil in the past, but I’m looking forward to fixing that," he said.

"It’s a very nice circuit to drive, it has a good combination of different types of corners, and it’s good for racing with good possibilities for overtaking."

"The fans are very passionate and obviously with Felipe being Brazilian there is a lot of support for Williams Martini Racing. Hopefully this time around I can have a good result. We will be looking to fight with Ferrari and Red Bull for an opportunity to be on the podium. That will be the target."

Bottas also commended his team mate Felipe Massa for his speed and good character, both of which have helped the Finn assert his own ability at Williams in the past two seasons.

"Felipe has proved to be very good, and I was a little surprised to see how fast he is," Bottas told Brazilian website UOL.

" But he's also a nice guy and I like working with him. He's a guy who likes to compete so he doesn't like to be slower than me and is always trying. This is a good thing because we are always very close to each other and this forces each other to push even more. He's a good teammate."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.