Valtteri Bottas believes Lewis Hamilton’s “race pace and tyre management” are the biggest differences between their success at Mercedes.

“Many times he had to copy my setup for the qualifying last minute,” Valtteri Bottas told GPFans.

“Driving style-wise, tyre management is one of his big strengths, and in any condition and circumstances, he always finds a way, how to be able to extend a stint or the best way to efficiently keep the tyres in a good condition.

“That race pace and tyre management part has probably been the biggest difference between me and Lewis and consistency is what he’s had with those things.”

Ex-F1 racer and pundit Martin Brundle claims there is no obvious successor to Michael Masi currently as the pressure mounts on the race director.

Brundle even warned Mercedes and Toto Wolff, who were furious after his intervention in Abu Dhabi, “to be careful what you wish for”.

“Who would you replace him with? Be careful what you wish for I would say in this,” Brundle said.

“And what I absolutely know for sure is that changing Michael Masi will not fix the problem.”

Ex-F1 racer Johnny Herbert maintains race director Michael Masi has ‘done too much damage’ to the series to remain in his role for 2022.

“In many respects…and in all respects, no,” Herbert told Sky Sports when discussing if he could survive the controversy in Abu Dhabi. “Because I think he has done too much damage to Formula 1 and I think because of the position that he’s in, we have got to have trust.

“And I think that trust has completely and utterly evaporated. “The problem is, is who do you replace him with? Because obviously experience is going to be very, very important for the man who slots into that position,” said Herbert.

“Michael was very fortunate, he was sort of underneath Charlie Whiting [former F1 race director] when Charlie was the head of it and he learnt a lot of good things from that point of view.

“Is there anybody that sort of stands out for me at the moment to replace him? No. And that is the conundrum.”

Toto Wolff is set for crunch talks with new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

After succeeding Jean Todt as FIA president, Ben Sulayem will speak with Wolff on Friday, according to GPFans.

The fallout from Abu Dhabi will be top of the agenda, though the investigation’s findings will not be released until 18 March (the day of free practice for the 2022 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix).

Valtteri Bottas claims Lewis Hamilton’s dominance was a hindrance to him at Mercedes.

The Finn was praised for his role in helping Mercedes land all five constructors’ titles during his tenure with his impressive teamwork and performances.

But Bottas has now revealed what he learned with the Silver Arrows ahead of a lead role at Alfa Romeo.

“I’ve been in a position that I’ve got to know Lewis pretty well as a human being as well, not just as a Formula 1 champion, and learned that he fully deserves everything he’s achieved,” he told GPFans. “He’s got the talent, but then he puts that into good use and he works really hard.

“Obviously, his lifestyle is also different in a way that, he might be in New York just a day before the race weekend, whatever, doing other things. But when he is in his working mode and in this Formula 1 mode, he’s never leaving any stone unturned and he’s always pushing the team a lot.

“I feel like in the last few years, he’s been more in a lead role, and for me, it’s been quite difficult to try and take a lead role, because he’s been, obviously, here before and he’s pretty dominant in the way he works with a team. Also, setting up the car for sure, I’ve learned a few things, but also many [other] things.”

Lando has revealed what it feels like to drive around the Monaco Grand Prix.

The 22-year-old finish fifth in the 2021 edition of the race, but it is during qualifying that the Brit admits he becomes concerned when having to drive at the absolute limit.

Ex-Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone believes race director Michael Masi was “overwhelmed” by the 2021 season.

“He was in many cases overwhelmed with his job the whole season and maybe shouldn’t have had it at all,” Ecclestone told BILD. But it was the right decision to let them race.”

“About being robbed, it’s complete and utter nonsense. If you want to think about it carefully, on the first lap of that race he [Hamilton] went off the circuit and came back on again and Verstappen stayed on the circuit and did absolutely nothing wrong.

“Lewis wasn’t punished at all for that so he shouldn’t be complaining too much. These things happen all the time in sports. We shouldn’t blame the race director, he did exactly what was the right thing to do.”

Lewis Hamilton could take a “sabbatical year” from Formula One if he does not receive assurances from the FIA that there will be changes to how its rules are enforced ahead of next season, it was been warned.

Hamilton lost out on a record-breaking eighth F1 title to Max Verstappen on the last lap of the season at a hugely controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last month.

The 36-year-old is still yet to add any further comment on the result of the race, after Mercedes withdrew their appeal of Verstappen’s championship victory.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff did reveal, however, that Hamilton had been left “disillusioned” by how the closing stages of the Grand Prix were allowed to unfold by race director Michael Masi.

In withdrawing their appeals in the aftermath of the race, Mercedes confirmed that would “actively work” with the FIA to “build a better Formula One”.

The FIA have outlined the process and next steps for the inquiry into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

They plan to discuss the deployment of the Safety Car, which ultimately led to Max Verstappen passing Lewis Hamilton to become world champion.

It has been reported that Hamilton is waiting on the results of the inquiry before deciding whether to return to the sport in 2022.

The FIA say the results will be published on 18 March.

Mercedes are quietly confident that Lewis Hamilton will resist retirement and continue his glittering career in Formula One next season.

There has been speculation that the seven-time world champion could walk away from the sport following the bitter ending to the 2021 campaign in Abu Dhabi with Max Verstappen edging him out in the title race.

But The Times report that the Briton is ramping up training to remain in shape in his mountain home in Colorado.

Hamilton is also expected at the pre-season testing next month in Barcelona and further testing in Bahrain in March.