Bottas: Mercedes can close the gap to Red Bull

Valtteri Bottas is confident that Mercedes can close the gap to Red Bull at this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix despite their significant pace deficit to the Constructors' Championship leaders at the Red Bull Ring last Sunday. Max Verstappen dominated the race, having also set two laps in Q3 there were good enough for pole position. Bottas feels that Red Bull may not have the same speed advantage this weekend. "We can [close the gap] and we for sure have been working hard for it," Bottas told RacingNews365.com and other select members of the press. "We'll see a Sunday, but it's possible. "We lack pace against Red Bull, which is not ideal. That's something we tried to learn from in the last week and to be stronger this week, whatever we can do with the car setup and with the softer compounds of tyres to try and get the advantage on our side." Bottas has been on the podium in Austria on six occasions and outqualified teammate Lewis Hamilton at the Styrian GP, only to start behind due to a grid penalty. The Finn has no explanation for his good record at the Red Bull Ring. "It's hard to say [why I'm quick] in Austria," said Bottas. "Some places normally you're immediately on the pace, sometimes it might be more of a struggle. I don't have an explanation. I just like to track."