Valtteri Bottas recently provided a much-needed impetus to his old friend and teammate Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Monaco GP on Sunday. As per an interview before the race, Bottas called Hamilton his “best friend” on the grid This is believed to be nothing but sheer positivity aimed at the seven-time world champion.
After Bottas joined Mercedes from Williams in 2017, he instantly formed a good relationship with Hamilton. The relationship was so good that the duo holds each other in great regard, even after parting ways in 2022.
Together, the duo helped the Silver Arrows pick five consecutive constructors’ championships. As for the drivers’ title, the Finn played a key role in helping Hamilton achieve glory on four occasions.
Bottas and Hamilton raced together in Mercedes for five seasons. In 2022, however, he decided to leave his friend and Mercedes behind to join Alfa Romeo.
Bottas calls Lewis Hamilton his best friend
According to a video on Twitter, posted by by Marina, Bottas calls Hamilton his ‘best friend’. The video is believed to be taken during an open session at the Alfa Romeo fan zone, ahead of the qualifying session. Bottas’ teammate Zhou was also present on the grid.
Valtteri saying Lewis is his bestie on the grid 🥹 pic.twitter.com/wctCFvwN0G
— Marina (@xxoMarina) May 27, 2023
When asked about who his “best friend” on the grid is, the former Mercedes star revealed, “Actually, actually I would say Lewis.” As soon as he was done with his answer, fans erupted in the venue with cheers.
The Alfa Romeo driver, who recently called Hamilton annoyingly talented, further added, “We obviously had a great five years together. We’ve been to difficult times and good times.”
Valtteri Bottas believes Hamilton is still the fastest driver
Hamilton’s best friend on the grid- Bottas- recently hailed him as the fastest driver on the grid. Speaking about this in the recent Beyond the Grid podcast, Bottas said Hamilton is “still the quickest driver on the grid.”
Saved the last print for my buddy @LewisHamilton 🍑#VB77 @alfaromeoorlen @MercedesAMGF1 @tiffanycromwell @paulripke @F1 pic.twitter.com/L9p7TMuQ2L
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) May 26, 2022
Bottas, who still shares a good relationship with the 38-year-old, made this claim despite Hamilton not winning a race in almost two years. This has come even after Hamilton’s current teammate George Russell outperformed him last year.
Currently, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc are widely regarded as one of the fastest drivers on the grid. Still, Bottas went ahead with Hamilton. This has raised some eyebrows around the F1 community for sure.
