The 2019 Season - Your Verdict

[Nitrodaze]

Since MB became the dominant team. At 326pts (even 323 excluding fl points), Bottas has scored the second most points for a guy 2nd in the championship.

What is the minimum you'd expect him to do?

Fair point. 2019 was an excellent year for Bottas. But let us not take that out of perspective, he was within beating distance of Leclerc in the Ferrari if Ferrari had not imploded again. And within Verstapenns reach with a bit of luck. That said, Bottas put in a very strong end of season races to pull himself clear of the competition.

The question in everyones mind is, in his fourth season can he give Hamilton a proper challenge in 2020. He has enjoyed an unusual patience from Mercedes. With his first two seasons performances, he would have been given the boot if he were at Redbull or Ferrari. Instead, he has enjoyed three seasons and is going into his fourth on the back of being the 2019 runner up. I think you can see how influencial Hakkinen is at Mercedes fighting his corner. Without that support which most drivers on the grid do not enjoy; Ricciado for instance, Bottas would have lost his drive a long time ago.

Unlike the likes of Bottas, Verstapenn, Sainz and Stroll with very influencial people backing them, drivers like Ricciado, Hamilton, Leclerc, Vettel, Kyvat, Perez, Albon etc all have to do it on their own merit, with the knowledge that their performances is what stands between their relevance and the door. As Hulkkenburg has discovered this season.