Valtteri Bottas has outlined that he has “unfinished business” at the Russian Grand Prix in the wake of missing out on victory at last year’s event.
Bottas claimed his maiden Formula 1 win at the 2017 running of the grand prix and last season fronted a Mercedes 1-2 during the race, having led away from pole position.
But he was instructed to drop behind Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who was locked in a title battle against Sebastian Vettel, and Bottas obliged, ultimately finishing runner-up to the Briton.
“I’m looking forward to it, I’ve got some unfinished business in Sochi,” said Bottas.
“It has normally been a good track for me and I need to make sure it will be again.
“Obviously, it could be a good track for Ferrari with all the straights, but we’re going there with a good feeling and determined to finish it better than last year and in a different way.
“We all start from zero, and I’ll try to remember those good feelings from the years before and try to find that same flow I found there before and go from there.”
Mercedes has been beaten by Ferrari across the past three grands prix but Bottas is confident that the reigning champions can respond to the renewed threat.
“I think [in the race in Singapore] they weren’t the quickest ones but, for sure, in the qualifying they were and, in this track, that’s such a key,” said Bottas.
“So, we know they’ve made better steps than us, so all we can do is to try and make the car quicker.
I’m sure we still have some new bits on the way, but if it’s going to be enough, we’ll see.”
Bottas trails Hamilton by 65 points in the Drivers’ Championship.
