Valtteri Bottas enjoyed 5 successful seasons with the Mercedes team. He helped the German team win five consecutive constructors’ championships. Unfortunately, Bottas just could not win the drivers’ championship as he could not beat his teammate Lewis Hamilton over a full season.

Although Valtteri finished P2 in 2019 and 2020, he was not a match for his teammate on most race days. The Finnish driver mentioned that there were some tensions between him and Hamilton in the first 2 seasons at the team. Although they had mutual respect, Bottas could not overcome the challenge of Lewis.

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Valtteri Bottas reveals it bothered him he could not beat Lewis Hamilton

Although Valtteri was more than a match for the seven-time world champion in qualifying, he revealed it bothered him that he could not beat Hamilton in races.

“The first few years it really bothered me that I couldn’t beat him over a season, but we always had a good relationship with a lot of respect and could be open with each other, but there was that normal amount of tension,” said Bottas.

“But I have to say the last two years I have spent a lot more time with him, traveling to races together and seeing each other outside of races, and now he’s a friend definitely.

When we started working together, he pulled me aside and said he doesn’t want to play any games and I said that I don’t either, and we shook on it. May the best man win, and that has stuck,” said Valtteri.

It is fascinating to hear that losing to Hamilton really got to Bottas in the first few seasons in Mercedes. Admittedly, he should be proud of what he has achieved with the team during his 5-year tenure. Hopefully, he will apply the lessons from the German team to his new experience with Alfa Romeo in 2022.

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