Valtteri Bottas was hired to play as the deputy to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Moreover, going against one of the best F1 drivers of all time would be no easy task.
However, like any other F1 driver, Bottas had his ambitions. But, in every season he was with Mercedes, despite having the best car on the grid, he couldn’t get ahead of the seven-time world champion.
Surely, Hamilton’s excellence was a major factor in it, but Mercedes also never saw a championship prospect in him. Thus, he always stayed in the role for which he was hired, which probably frustrated him.
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Valtteri Bottas admits he was too harsh on himself
When Bottas came into Mercedes, replacing Nico Rosberg, so he had the ambition of leaving the instant mark with Mercedes. However, he failed to excel, and the Finn race driver admits that, at that time, he was too harsh on himself.
“Especially the first couple of years – I was so, so hard on myself,” Bottas said to the Race. “I wanted everything ‘now’ and then it was difficult to deal with it when it didn’t happen, that I couldn’t win the title in the first couple of years. It was just hard to accept. I was really harsh on myself, and definitely sometimes being a bit more chilled would have helped.”
In the end, Bottas made peace with his role at Mercedes. Especially in his final season, when he was no more going for the title. At that time, he sincerely tried his best to give a title push for Hamilton. However, Max Verstappen managed to clinch the title during the race’s final lap.
Peaceful days at Alfa Romeo
Bottas’ exclusion from Mercedes was not only because the Silver Arrows wanted to promote George Russell but also because the 10 Grand Prix winner asked for a multi-year contract after 2021.
For a long period, Bottas’ contract with Mercedes was being extended for only year-long deals. But from 2022 onwards, he needed career security in F1, which Mercedes was not ready to give.
But Alfa Romeo saw a great prospect in Bottas and gave in to his demands for his services. Bottas thinks he is more at peace and has confidence, as he is the leading driver over there, unlike in Mercedes.
Now, with Audi coming in alliance with Sauber run team, Bottas might see a second life at title, if he remains suitable for their plans.
