Wolff happy with Bottas' work: “Mentally he is solid”

For the first time since 2016, Toto wolff shows a big smile in the Albert Park paddock in Melbourne (Australia). The Executive Director of Mercedes had not observed any success from his team on this urban circuit for three years, the fault of Sebastian Vettel. This time it is Valtteri Bottas who collected the victory to launch the season, in front of his teammate Lewis Hamilton. 

A dominant fourth career victory, and the fastest lap of the race @ValtteriBottas claimed a maximum points down under!#AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/GOLN8UfwHo

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 17, 2019

The Austrian claims to have noticed a transformation in Valtteri Bottas. This one is apparently no longer the second knife that we knew in 2018, unable to keep up with Lewis Hamilton. " I am very happy. People didn't believe he was up to the task (which is his responsibility), and he came back in the most overwhelming way possible, being in total control all weekend.", explains Toto Wolff on Sky Sports F1.

Valtteri Bottas took the lead when the lights went out and was never worried for the next 58 laps. « It reminds me of his years in Formula Renault et Formula 3, where it was really the standard value. He destroyed everyone there, it's something he lost last year, continues Toto Wolff. 

He came back from the winter break saying, "I'm ready," and I thinkhe rediscovered the pleasure of driving with his rally outings on the snow. Mentally, he is solid. » It remains to be seen whether Valtteri Bottas' state of form can persist over the duration of a season. 

Find the analysis of the Australian GP carried out by our special correspondents in issue 2208 of AUTOhebdo, available Monday evening digitally and Wednesday on newsstands.