Bottas motivated to change poor Monaco GP F1 record

Mercedes Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas is determined to turn around his form in Monaco this weekend.

The Finn has never finished on the Monte Carlo podium and has managed a best result of fourth place, achieved in the 2017 event during his first season with Mercedes. In his Williams days, Bottas never made it into the top ten.

Since joining Mercedes, the German manufacturer has struggled around the tight streets of Monaco - with its last win coming in 2016 - though Bottas is confident of improved fortunes this year given the team’s strong start to the season.

“I haven’t had great races here but I’m surely targeting to change that,” Bottas said.

“The beginning of the year has been very promising for us, as a team, but we also have to acknowledge Monaco is a unique circuit and you need different things from your car to be quick.

“In the past two years we’ve been struggling a little bit, we weren’t happy with our car here as we couldn’t go quickly as we did in other tracks.

“With that in mind we are a little bit cautious but also very motivated to change that and to be performing here, as well. It’s really unique and it will be an amazing grand prix to do well in.”

Bottas also paid tribute to Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda, who passed away on Monday evening at the age of 70.

He explained that Mercedes is motivated to record a strong result this weekned to “respect” the three-time F1 world champion.

“It was a pretty shocking news to start the week with, as Niki meant a lot to me but also to every single member of our team as well,” he said.

“Both for our race team and for our factory team, he was a big part of the Mercedes family, a massive motivator for everyone, for myself as well.

“For sure as a driver for everything he achieved, with difficult career he had, with all the comebacks he had, but also as a person, he has been great. I’ll never forget many, many good moments we had together.

“It’s not nice, in terms of mindset, for the weekend, but I’m sure that, as a team, we can turn things our way and respect Niki with going flat out on track and bringing a good result.”