Not for the first time, Valtteri Bottas has used the season opener to whet our appetites, serving notice that this finally might be the year.

However, as teammate Lewis Hamilton gets into his stride, despite the black coffee and porridge it isn't long before Bottas V.2, 3 or 4 begins to lose ground.

Of course his cause wasn't helped by the puncture which robbed him of a certain second, possibly the win, but even so his hopes of the 2020 crown are rapidly fading.

Not so, insists the Finn.

"The fact is that it's not over," he says. "There's ten or something races.

"Obviously I had that one kind of a DNF with a puncture at Silverstone, lost points with that," he continues. "(But) if I would give up now then I would rather stay home, so I will keep pushing, I will still keep trying to find anything from myself that I can and it is just really trying to perfect everything.

"I didn't in qualifying," he admits, "Lewis was on pole, he was faster on that lap, then with that pole he could turn it into a win.

"The weekend really starts with qualifying, trying to be on pole and then those weekends that don't go for you, you really need to maximise the points.

"I felt, for a long time now - actually this week has been at least like a smooth weekend, without any issues, just the qualifying was not good enough but I'm working on everything, I'm trying but there's still many positives I can take.

"I feel my race pace this year has been better than any year before, so that's a positive, so I feel like always in the race I'm there and I can fight for it so now it's just about trying to perform better and more consistently in qualifying sessions."

In Spain, and again in Belgium, Hamilton has appeared to be on another level, particularly in qualifying.

"I found it hard to match," says Bottas of his teammate's Spa pole. "Of course it always comes from so many details, the out laps, getting the tyres in the perfect window, front and rear, the set-up and driving style and when that one lap counts yes, yeah, Lewis has been really consistent, not making any mistakes in qualifying.

"As you look at the numbers, he has had the upper hand this year in qualifying, which honestly pisses me off, but I'm trying and I do enjoy the challenge and I can't wait for the next qualifying session next weekend."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 03/09/2020 0:51

"@ Burton....Interesting aspect but i somehow feel as though the possibility of this occurring is about nil. He has only ever had one year contracts as Mercedes know that so long as he is tightly controlled there will be no anarchy! I'm also sure that Bottas would be well aware of this and whilst outwardly he talks of a title challenge, it's all just media puff. He would also be well aware that if he was to lose his drive that he'd be hard pushed to get another drive especially with a top team so he plays the game and Wolff continues to pull the strings. Once Hamilton reaches a score that ensures a WDC Bottas may be encouraged to 'try harder' . I mean no disrespect to Bottas but to me he is perhaps the dullest driver out there and I actually don't see him during the races!!!"

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2. Posted by Burton, 02/09/2020 11:49

"So far I don't think he would do the kind of vigorous driving that Vettel, for example, quite rightly did to Leclerc at Spa. But what does he have got to lose, anyway? The team only trusts him with rolling 1-year contracts, gives him the worse strategy when he's actually the lead car like in Silverstone... start driving for Team Bottas and show something different."

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3. Posted by Analeta, 02/09/2020 0:55 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 02/09/2020 7:09)

"This comment was removed by an administrator as it was judged to have broken the site's posting rules and etiquette."

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4. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 01/09/2020 16:50

"Bottas is a very talented racer. But he is not a match for Hamilton. On a really day he can give Hamilton a run for his money, but over the course of a season he just can't hang with Hamilton. His only real hope of a championship is if Hamilton has substantial reliability issues that he does not, like Rosberg in 2016. This is not a dis on Bottas, it is just that Hamilton is simply that good. If it was almost any other current driver in Hamilton's car Bottas would be a very strong contender for the WDC. Maybe Verstappen would be close to Hamilton's level, but I think Bottas would find it easier to get into his head. Alonso and Vettle are past their primes by now. Leclerc is good, but I don't think he's on that plane that Hamilton is on. "

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5. Posted by kenji, 01/09/2020 11:50

"After all his time at Mercedes and he still isn't able to bridge the gap....what does that tell you? That tells you that he is either simply deficient or that Hamilton gets the 'best seat in the house'. Personally, i think that no matter what, Wolff is not going to allow any challenge whatsoever, even if it was possible!. Just look at the facts. From Mercedes POV breaking the Shumacher records means the ultimate F! pot of gold and they are not about to allow anything to get in their way. Wolff set out his stall years ago when it was being rumored that Ricciardo could replace Rosberg. Hamilton said, 'It'd be a privilege to have him in the team' to head off any fears of anti competition, true or false. Wolff also said what a fine driver Ricciardo was but his excuse for not putting him in the other seat was then stated by Wolff that 'he didn't want to upset the team equilibrium'. That simply meant, to me, that there was not going to be any challenges to Hamilton's reign and i believe that he's been protected ever since. "

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Bottas: It's not over

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