I can beat Hamilton without drama - Bottas

Valtteri Bottas believes it will be possible to beat Lewis Hamilton this year and avoid the difficult relationship endured by Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

2016 saw Rosberg win the drivers' championship after back-to-back titles for Hamilton, but all three years featured controversial incidents between the teammates. Bottas has replaced the German at Mercedes this year on an initial one-year contract and says it is in his own hands to secure the seat on a more long-term basis. But he doesn't feel his relationship with Hamilton has to suffer as a result.

"I think it is possible," Bottas said when asked by RACER if he can get the better of Hamilton without flashpoints between the pair. "We haven't raced yet together in the same team but so far it's been good and I see no reason why we couldn't be able to work professionally and as a good pair of teammates race very hard on track but fair. Work well as a team, at least from my side I see no problem why it couldn't be possible. Obviously we will find out, but I have a good feeling it will be fine."

And Bottas reiterated his belief that he can get the better of Hamilton over a full season, even if he requires a bit of time to fully settle in at his new team.

"It doesn't help what I say here; we will see on the track and the stopwatch is not going to lie and we will see very soon how everything goes," he said. "I think that if I couldn't compare or couldn't be quicker than Lewis, I would rather stay at home.

"I do believe in my skills and I believe it is possible, but I do need to go step by step and day by day. We will take it race by race and then find out, but we will see."

With both drivers present at the launch of the Mercedes W08 at Silverstone on Thursday, Bottas says his early interactions with Hamilton have been positive.

"We haven't had a chance to get to properly know each other. We've done a filming day and had a chat and it's been very good so far. He seems to be looking forward to the season, as I am, and like me he is excited by the new car and everything. Overall the vibes are good."