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Valtteri Bottas: I can definitely win in a top F1 car

Valtteri Bottas believes he is capable of securing his first Formula 1 victory and extending that tally if he had a car that was in the top three of the pecking order.

The Finn, who made his F1 debut with Williams in 2013, has scored nine podiums but failed to reach the top step in 77 starts.

Williams is considering allowing Bottas to leave for Mercedes in 2017, as the world champion team requires a team-mate for Lewis Hamilton after Nico Rosberg's retirement.

Williams rejected an offer, which included a reduction in the cost of its 2017 engine supply as well as the opportunity to run Mercedes reserve Pascal Wehrlein, from Mercedes.

It is believed a second proposal is being formulated by Mercedes while Felipe Massa, who retired at the end of last season, is understood to have agreed to postpone his retirement and remain with Williams should Bottas leave.

Speaking before Rosberg's retirement and the subsequent interest from Mercedes, Bottas told Autosport: "I have no doubts in myself and I know that I'm capable of winning races.

"It feels like I need the correct machine for that. It's going to come in the future, hopefully sooner rather than later.

"I know if there's a car that is close to being the best car or top three car, I can definitely do it."

In the same interview, Bottas added he would like to achieve his first win with Williams but appreciated plans change and he would react accordingly.

"You need to make some kind of a career plan but in Formula 1 it's pretty tricky to make a year by year plan," he said.

"Things are going to develop, you don't know how the market is going to be for the drivers and how many seats there are going to be in different teams.

"The best game plan is to get everything out of the car in every single race next year and then see race by race or month by month how the situation is developing and see from there.

"My first goal is to win a race, and obviously then one day the world championship.

"Hopefully it can be with Williams but if not I'm always going to try and get to my goals and obviously then you need to change plans if it seems like it's not possible."

Zdroj: autosport.com