Valtteri Bottas is adamant Williams have made enough improvements in the off-season to start challenging their rivals for race victories this year.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a good campaign in 2015 and he managed to finish fifth in the Drivers’ Championship after amassing 136 points.

He recorded a joint-best finish of third in Canada and Mexico and the impressive performances were rumoured to be attracting the interests of Ferrari.

However, despite the good displays, Bottas and team-mate Felipe Massa were unable to mount a serious challenge to triumph at any Grand Prix.

Williams have not won a race since Pastor Maldonado’s unlikely triumph at the 2012 Spanish GP, while their last victory before the Venezuelan’s win was back in 2004.

The Grove-based outfit were only defeated by Mercedes and Ferrari in the team standings last year and Bottas believes a win will be recorded in this campaign.

“I think it is possible and I think we can do it,” he said. “We’ve been getting stronger all the time as a team and the new car we have improved from last year so it’s going to be close this year. We have high hopes.”

Bottas, who is an 81.00 shot to win the world title, will be hoping to make a strong start when the action gets underway in Australia on March 20.

Defending champion Lewis Hamilton is the firm favourite at 1.50 to retain his crown while Silver Arrows team-mate Nico Rosberg is following closely behind at 3.80.

German Sebastian Vettel, who was the only driver to clinch a victory away from the Mercedes pair, is priced at 4.75 to win a fifth title.