Fast learner Valtteri Bottas credits his education at Mercedes for his title push

Valtteri Bottas has credited his Mercedes team for the improvement in his driving that produced what the Finn termed "the perfect weekend" in Austria.

Both of Bottas' two career F1 wins have occurred this season since his transfer to Mercedes from Williams and the Finn is fast emerging as a genuine contender after sweeping to victory at the Red Bull Ring ahead of title leader Sebastian Vettel.

Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton is now just fifteen points ahead of Bottas in the standings as the quiet man of F1 loudly makes his mark on the 2017 season.

"It was a really perfect weekend for me," said Bottas. "Today made it my best weekend so far."

While Bottas was a consistent, solid performer at Williams, few predicted he would so quickly emerge as a challenger to both Hamilton and Vettel in 2017. In the whole of 2016, the 27-year-old scored just one podium finish.

But Bottas is clearly something of a model student - and a fast learner.

"This team has really allowed me to learn massively," Bottas told Sky F1. "The amount of feedback they are giving me after every day and especially after every race and the meetings we have.

"I am learning so much from every grand prix. I am with a team of winners so that is making me a lot better driver as well.

"Formula 1 is all about details. How you handle the car, how you take care of the tyres, how you pick up the power, how you apply the brakes, how you decrease the brakes. I could be speaking for two hours if I went through them all.

Bottas admitted during winter testing that he had been surprised by the difficulty of adjusting to his new team - "Changing teams is maybe a slightly bigger thing than l initially thought it would be," he said - but now looks entirely comfortable in both his new surroundings and his status as a title contender. Tellingly, Bottas has secured both of his victories with Vettel just one second behind him on the road - testament, surely, to a steady nerve and unflappable nerve.

"The first one is obviously very special but it is only the second in my career, so that is also very special," Bottas said. "It is important in the championship, at the moment, to get closer to the guys in front, Seb and Lewis. So it feels very good."

Success does, though, come at a price. Bottas will back at work in the Mercedes simulator on Tuesday before paying a visit to their engine base at Brixworth. Wednesday will consist of sponsor and promotional activites. And then on Thursday it's back to the day job and media day at Silverstone ahead of the British GP.

At this of year, days off are few and far between.

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