Gerhard Berger isn't all that impressed with Valtteri Bottas, and believes Mercedes should deliver the plum drive to protégé Pascal Wehrlein.
While we await for an epilogue to Mercedes' winter series 'Who should replace Noco Rosberg?' , the former Ferrari and McLaren driver says that it would have only made sense to promote junior driver Pascal Wehrlein to the coveted race seat.
"I would have taken Wehrlein to underline my own young driver programme," Berger told Auto Motor und Sport.
"Wehrlein always left a convincing impression in this programme. You will only see how good he really is when you put him in a top car."
The Austrian legend said that, in his view, Bottas' performances relative to team mate Felipe Massa were not impressive enough to warrant a move to Mercedes instead of Sauber-bound Wehrlein.
"In comparison to Bottas, Wehrlein is a risk, for sure," Berger added.
"Therefore, maybe the clever solution is not the one that springs to mind first and foremost.
"I hold Bottas in high esteem. He's quick, a good team player, a nice person and he has earned the chance to prove himself.
"On the other hand he didn't destroy Massa enough for us to be saying: He's the right choice."
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