Non-executive Chairman Niki Lauda heaped praise on Mercedes new boy Valtteri Bottas last week and said he was a “very good replacement” for retired 2016 champion Nico Rosberg.
The three-time world champion Austrian admitted he was very surprised to see how calm the 27-year-old Finn remained under intense pressure in the closing laps of his maiden Formula One triumph in Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix.