Valtteri Bottas has emerged as a free bird ever since he joined Alfa Romeo (now Stake F1 team) in 2022. However, right before the switch to the Swiss team, the Finn was going through a bout of mental struggle. That was when he was still driving for Mercedes, and, to his own admittance, the team had no idea.
Speaking with Tyler Waye on a recent episode of The Icons by Motiversity, Bottas revealed,
“I think they didn’t know. I’m sure they saw my frustration towards the end of the year that probably my mood wasn’t the best, and smiling a bit less than usual.”
Bottas joined Mercedes in 2017 when Nico Rosberg retired after winning his only world championship title in 2016. The prospect of leaving Williams for a team that could compete for the world title was exciting. However, in his five seasons with the team, he was comprehensively beaten by seven-time world title winning teammate Lewis Hamilton. This resulted in self-doubts, causing him to contemplate quitting the sport, which Bottas admits he is glad he didn’t do.
During the interview, he also recalled the moments that pulled him out of self-doubt. One of those was a moment of introspection during a solo hike in the mountains. That hike gave the Finn the confidence that he was the best at what he did. Another moment he cites is the 2019 Australian GP, where he won the race by more than 20 seconds against Hamilton in P2.
The move to Alfa Romeo helped as well. There was relatively less pressure to deliver top-of-the-charts results with the new team. Moreover, they gave him the freedom to be the man he was behind the racing helmet.
How Sauber changed Valtteri Bottas
During his Mercedes stint, Bottas functioned in a formal environment, with little room for flexibility. His paddock appearances in Mercedes shirts reflected that. The start of the 2023 season saw a complete transformation in the 34-year-old’s personality. Bottas appeared in a tank top, shorts and flip-flops, sporting a mullet, for the media interaction at the Australian GP. This was the man he was.
The outfit caught the attention of the media and fellow drivers alike, including his former teammate Lewis Hamilton. The Briton, in an interview, expressed his joy to see a relaxed Bottas find his mojo. When questioned by the media, the 34-year-old admitted that he was much more relaxed with his new team.
Despite the newfound laid-back attitude, Bottas is committed to performing to the best of his abilities with Stake F1 team. His current contract with the team runs out at the end of 2024. Therefore, he is not only driving to save his seat for another year but also giving an audition for the 2026 season when Audi will take over the Hinwil based team.
However, there are no guarantees that the new management will look to continue with the ongoing lineup. Audi is coming with ambitious targets and might want to invest in younger talent. Among those is Carlos Sainz, whose connection with the German automaker has been no secret.
