Valtteri Bottas calls Mercedes a company when it comes to function in F1, while he perceives Alfa Romeo as more of a racing team.
After serving Mercedes for five years, Valtteri Bottas and the Brackley-based team decided to part ways. In 2022, the Finn race driver joined Alfa Romeo, and after a long time, he is playing the main driver role in his team.
Apart from that, Bottas has also mentioned several other changes he has observed. He remarks that working at Alfa Romeo is more relaxing, and unlike them, Mercedes feels more like a ‘company’.
“It is an environment with less pressure, the context in which I am now is less ‘company’ and more racing team, but everyone’s motivation is the same,” said Bottas to Motorsport.com.
“It was very nice to start the season right away by scoring some points in Bahrain, I think that weekend gave an extra boost, the team understood that there would be other races where we would be able to finish in the top 10.”
Bottas was replaced by George Russell, who is now in his first season with Mercedes. The Briton is doing well in his first year and is expected to take the baton from Lewis Hamilton in a couple of years.
Also read: 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has part of Silverstone track named after him
Valtteri Bottas misses the feeling of winning a race
Bottas is now in a team which hardly ever thinks about winning a race. A top 10 finish feels no less than a victory, a total contrast to Mercedes’ ideology.
Speaking about it to Crash.net, Bottas admits that he certainly misses the feeling of going into a Grand Prix with a chance of winning a race. With his time in Mercedes over and other top teams settled with their drivers, it doesn’t seem like Bottas will ever get a time like that.
🇫🇮 Valtteri Bottas is loving life at Alfa Romeo!
🗣 “This season is probably the most enjoyable so far. When it gets to the racing, it’s a lot of good fun.”
Would you rather be the second driver in a team fighting for the championship or the main driver in a midfield team? 👇 pic.twitter.com/GIfZ9hUkwz
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) September 18, 2022
But with Audi partnering with Sauber, and coming in as new manufacturers, if Bottas sticks till the arrival of the new engine regulations, he might have a chance to get a shot above if the German company does a wonderful job with Sauber.
