Despite failing to win a single grand prix so far this season, Valtteri Bottas insists that his championship dream remains alive.
The Finn is teammate to quadruple world champion and runaway championship leader Lewis Hamilton, but he says he is happy at Mercedes anyway.
"I wouldn’t change my position to anywhere else now," Bottas told CNN.
The 29-year-old says racing alongside Hamilton keeps him "very motivated".
"The goal was to be a world champion and it still is. So I’m still chasing my dreams, trying to reach the goal I said to myself and pretty much all the people around when I was six," Bottas added.
"I’m still realistically on that path, there’s still a possibility for that in the future so I think I’ve done quite well so far but of course, I want to win my goal."
Also backing Bottas’ goal is Toto Wolff, who after championing the former Williams driver’s earlier career is now the team boss at Mercedes.
"He has it in him that he can, with the right car, win a driver world championship," Wolff said.
"This year maybe less chance because he’s lacking some points, but next year is all points down to zero and if we are able to have a competitive car, he will be in the hunt, for sure."