Valtteri Bottas says he would give himself an eight out of 10 for his 2019 Formula 1 season, in which he finished runner-up in the championship.
Bottas led the standings after taking two early victories, in Australia and Azerbaijan, though lost touch with Lewis Hamilton through the next events, failing to deliver another win until Japan.
Bottas added another win, in the United States, which ensured he would finish second in the standings – his highest placing in his career – behind champion Hamilton.
Bottas finished the year 87 points behind Hamilton and 48 clear of third-placed Max Verstappen.
“I think for the team I would say nine [out of 10],” said Bottas. “It’s nearly perfect but I wouldn’t say it was perfect because we always need to do better, so it’s a nine because of that.
“We need to keep pushing, keep trying to do things better than they currently are and there’s margin to improve for next year.
“For me personally, it has been my best season in Formula 1 so far, so in terms of pure race speed, and on average, I give myself maybe an eight. I can definitively do better.”
When asked where he can improve, Bottas said: “I made good gains on all the areas this year, better than in the previous years.
“But I still need, over the whole season, to master every single track and conditions, so that’s the thing, I would say, consistency throughout the year.
“But of course, that comes from many, many details and I can’t really point out one. Overall, I think that’s what I need to do.”
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