Mercedes driver Bottas takes aim at second in Formula

The Formula One Drivers' Championship may have been sewn up by Lewis Hamilton, with two races to spare at Mexico, but there is still a lot to play for, for the Briton's teammate Valtteri Bottas.

The Finn still has a shot at second in the Championship, thus making it a one-two for the dominant Mercedes. Bottas, in his first season with the Brackley-based team since moving from Williams to replace last year's champion Nico Rosberg, is third in the standings, behind Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.

Bottas trails the German by 22 points, heading into the season finale - the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. And Bottas could make that one-two possible if he wins at the Yas Marina Circuit and hope Vettel ends up ninth or even further back.

Although a tall order, Bottas, who has two wins in Russia and Austria this season, hopes he can make it happen.

"It is the last race of the year and for me, I still have the opportunity to be second in the championship. So, that should be the target," Bottas said on Tuesday. The 28-year-old was in Dubai for the launch of the BOSS store at Mall of the Emirates.

"And I need to be also little bit lucky to make it happen as there is a bit of a gap to Sebastian Vettel, who is second at the moment. But I have nothing to lose this weekend so it is kind of a nice feeling going into this weekend and I will give everything that I have and we will see if it is going to be enough. It is a pretty busy week for us, like normally every race weekend - we visit different places and then at the track, we start working with team for practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and then the race on Sunday. And there is going to be testing in Abu Dhabi so we are going to be here a bit more than a week," he added.

Bottas also looked back at a season with a new team and said that it has been a learning curve.

"First of all, it has been a really interesting year. For me, starting the season with a completely new environment, new team, and knowing that I have the opportunity to fight for the title. And I'm really proud that I could be part of the team winning the Constructors' title. Obviously, my teammate already won the drivers' title. He beat me this year. But it has been such a season that I've never learnt so much than this year. And also being up against Lewis (Hamilton), who has been really good in the second half of the year. It is always a challenge to be on track at the same time as Lewis but that makes me work harder and try and get better. I can't wait for next year. There is so much I can take from this year to next year and I hope it will be a more complete year," said Bottas, who has 21 podiums so far and will racing in his 98th Grands Prix.

He has had six second places and four third-place finishes this season.

Source: Khaleej Times