Bottas: 'Things would be different if I wasn't here'

©Mercedes

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Valtteri Bottas believes he's a "good asset" for Mercedes and insists things would "definitely be different" without him in the championship winning team.

Speculation is mounting over Mercedes' impending decision regarding its 2022 line-up, with pundits expecting the German outfit to announce ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of the month George Russell as Lewis Hamilton's future teammate.

But Bottas - whose blunder at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix likely left Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff unimpressed - isn't giving up on his hopes of remaining at Brackley for a sixth season.

"I’m confident to say I am a good asset for the team and it definitely would be different if I wasn’t here," said the Finn in Hungary.

"I’m confident with my driving skills, but I don’t make the decisions. The future will show."

©Mercedes

Despite his lackluster 2021 season, in relative terms, in which he has yet to win a race, Bottas believes he has not yet reached his peak as a leading driver, and is still learning with each passing race.

"There is nothing holding me back at the moment," he added. "Definitely, I would say I feel like in my career I am peaking. I still haven’t reached that yet, there are always things I am learning and getting better at.

Read also - Bottas on future: 'One race won't influence anything'

"I’ve definitely learned so much about myself in the recent years. As a driver and as a human being and being able to understand yourself and what works for you is important.

"I feel like nowadays whatever is thrown at me will not shake me and I feel like I am ready for anything and any kind of challenge in the future. Definitely I have learned a lot.

"I will try everything I can for myself and for the team for the future, whatever happens."

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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.