Jacques Villeneuve: “Bottas could lose seat during 2019”

The 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve thinks Valtteri Bottas’ days at Mercedes could be numbered as he believes Bottas could actually lose his seat. He said the season finale in Abu Dhabi recently was even "embarrassing" for the 29-year-old. "I think there is a possibility that Bottas will be replaced by Esteban Ocon during the 2019 season," Villeneuve is quoted by Sky Italia. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has previously claimed Valtteri Bottas told him he wants to disappear back home for the winter to help recover from his disappointing F1 season. “He said to me that he just wants to disappear back home, recharge the battery. Forget, recover and recuperate, and then come back next year. I think it has just been very long. I can understand his frustrations,” said Wolff. Bottas failed to win a race in 2018, having been robbed by a late puncture in Baku and then having victory in Russia taken away from him though team orders. However, having faced periods where he also struggled to match teammate Lewis Hamilton, the Finn has been open that this season has been his most disappointing in F1.

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