Mercedes' new recruit Valtteri Bottas says he would stay at home if he did not think it was possible to beat teammate Lewis Hamilton.
After four years at Williams, Bottas joined world champions Mercedes over the winter to replace Nico Rosberg, who retired following his championship victory last year. Bottas has not won a race in his Formula One career to date and goes up against arguably the most naturally-talented driver of the current generation in Hamilton, yet the Finn remains quietly confident.
"It doesn't help what I say here, we will see on the track and the stopwatch is not going to lie and we will see very soon how everything goes," he said. "I think that if I couldn't compare or couldn't be quicker than Lewis, I would rather stay at home. I do believe in my skills and I believe it is possible, but I do need to go step by step and day by day. We will take it race by race and then find out, but we will see."
Asked about how his relationship had developed with Hamilton so far, Bottas added: "We haven't had a chance to get to properly know each other. We've done a filming day and had a chat and it's been very good so far. He seems to be looking forward to the season, as I am, and like me he is excited by the new car and everything. Overall the vibes are good."
Over the last three years, Hamilton and Rosberg endured a tense and at times toxic relationship, with two big on-track collisions last season. But Bottas believes it is possible to be Hamilton's teammate without things turning sour.
"I think it is possible. We haven't raced yet together in the same team but so far it's been good and I see no reason why we couldn't be able to work professionally and as a good pair of teammates race very hard on track but fair. Work well as a team, at least from my side I see no problem why it couldn't be possible. Obviously we will find out, but I have a good feeling it will be fine."