Valtteri Bottas admitted it took him until the end of his stint at Mercedes to “realise and accept” he couldn’t beat Lewis Hamilton over the course of a year.
The Finn was paired with Hamilton among his most prolific time as a driver, winning four Drivers’ Championships in a row and losing out on a fifth in dramatic circumstances in 2021, with Bottas taking 10 race victories as a Mercedes driver.
Valtteri Bottas makes Lewis Hamilton admission after Mercedes stint
Bottas was on the receiving end of an infamous team orders call at Hockenheim in 2018 that has since been played out, being told to hold position behind his team-mate after initially attacking him for the lead in changing conditions.
While Bottas earned 10 Grand Prix victories in his Mercedes stint – among 58 podiums – Hamilton took to the top step 50 times in the same time period as the Silver Arrows dominated Formula 1, with the Finn having looked to take the fight to the Briton each year for a title challenge of his own.
It is the prerogative of every Formula 1 driver to believe they are the best in the sport, but the now-Sauber driver acknowledged that only towards the conclusion of his time as a Mercedes driver did he believe he would not be able to get on top of Hamilton over the course of a year.
“It took me until the end of my five years with Mercedes to realise and accept that I couldn’t beat Lewis for a whole season,” Bottas admitted to German publication Auto Motor und Sport.
More on how the F1 2024 season is shaping up
He was really at the peak of his ability then. But that’s life. That’s racing.”
The Finn underwent a change in how he presented himself when he departed Mercedes for Alfa Romeo in 2022, which has since become Sauber, changing hairstyle, adding a moustache, while being more public about taking part in additional activities away from Formula 1, having taken part in a recent world gravel cycling championship event.
When asked about that change and why he did so, Bottas replied: “It was a combination of different factors.
“I changed teams, which also changed the atmosphere. I found a new partner and gained more experience. I try not to take things too seriously any more.
I’ve actually always enjoyed life, even if I was a bit more reserved or stressed. Maybe I’m a bit more relaxed now and a bit more open to showing this side of myself.”
