Bottas doesn’t see himself leaving F1 anytime soon
Since his transfer to Alfa Romeo this season, Valtteri Bottas is completely happy and seems to be reborn. The Finnish driver no longer thinks about leaving Formula 1.
In 2022, Valtteri Bottas discovers a new world. After spending five seasons with Mercedes, between 2017 and 2021, with a car that could contend for the world title every year, the Finnish driver now finds himself at Alfa Romeo, with a less powerful car, but in a much healthier environment.
And we can feel it. Bottas had a blazing start to the season, with performances that we hadn’t seen from him in a while. Being 8th in the drivers’ standings after nine Grand Prix races, with 46 points scored, the former Mercedes driver could have expected worse when joining Frédéric Vasseur’s team, which was on a slippery slope before the new regulations of this season.
Bottas says it clearly, he feels fully fulfilled. On top of that, the 32-year-old Finn no longer thinks about leaving Formula 1. This looks like a new era, clearly a new chapter, and I feel so much energy. A few years ago, I may have thought about how long I wanted to continue in F1, but now I realize that there are so many years ahead of me and I love it.
The native of Nastola is in perfect harmony with his team, to the point that he doesn’t feel like he has just arrived this season. The team was really welcoming and they are amazing people to work with. Now, I feel like after only a few races, I have been here for a very, very long time, so the teamwork is very good.
Good relations with Zhou
Bottas also describes his relationship with his new teammate, Guanyu Zhou, the only rookie of the season. It’s a new situation for me, I’ve never had a teammate younger or less experienced than me before. So it’s new, but he’s a really good guy and he asks me for advice, so for me it’s pretty easy to try to help him. I’m just trying to pass on all the information I can to him. Talking about setups, driving, these are very open discussions. He learns very well.
The goal after nine Grand Prix is clear for Bottas: finishing 4th in the constructors’ standings. « I think it’s a good goal to finish 4th this year. Starting the season, it would have been a somewhat ambitious goal for the first year but now it seems to be a reality, and it’s possible. And I think everyone within the team is definitely aiming for this goal. »
After mentally challenging years, which had made him hesitate to leave Formula 1 for a while, Valtteri Bottas seems happier than ever within the Italian-Swiss team.
