Hamilton: “I know Bottas will get closer next year”
Lewis Hamilton once again insisted on defending his teammate Valtteri Bottas against the criticism faced by the Finn regarding his performances.
To say that being Lewis Hamilton’s teammate is an arduous task is undoubtedly a pleonasm! The position held by Valtteri Bottas is certainly the most coveted as well as the most feared.
However, the Finn really suffers from the inevitable comparison with his predecessor Nico Rosberg, the 2016 World Champion and Lewis Hamilton’s greatest rival.
This year, number 77 won only 2 small races compared to 11 for his garage neighbor, which has once again called into question his level compared to that of his teammate and his machine.
However, Lewis Hamilton does not share this opinion at all. For the seven-time World Champion, Bottas does not need to justify his performances this year, notably highlighting his speed in qualifying.
“I don’t know how many beautiful words I can say about Valtteri,” said Hamilton to Autosport. “I don’t think Valtteri needs to defend his performance. I think he has continued to work on it, and we have had very, very close qualifying sessions, especially this year.”
Good qualifying results not translated into race performance.
It is true that the Finn’s record is slightly better when it comes to timed sessions, having secured 5 poles this year. But the real issue is that only one of these was converted into a victory, the first one in Austria.
Hamilton emphasizes that the quality of their relationship allows both of them to surpass themselves. This has not always been the case in his career, notably with Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg, where rivalry took precedence.
« As I have already said, it is never easy to have solid teammates. It is a constant battle between you, both mentally and emotionally throughout the year. » he continues. « What is really great about us is that we fight hard on the track, but when we are outside, we manage to maintain a gentlemanly working relationship, and I think that is a great demonstration of his personality and character as a man. »
The reigning World Champion is also very wary of his teammate for the upcoming season, expecting a revival in form from the 2019 and 2020 Vice-World Champion.
« I know that next year he will take more steps, so I have to find a way and figure out how I can find more speed for next year. » concluded the Briton.
The appointment for 2021 is already set!
