Valtteri Bottas on His Mercedes F1 Stint – “Certainly Feel, at Least in a Certain Sense, That I Have Failed”

Valtteri Bottas has finally bid farewell to the Mercedes F1 team after five years of association with the Silver Arrows. The Finn will join Alfa Romeo for the upcoming season. Notably, the Brackley team won its 8th consecutive constructors’ title this season; along with Lewis Hamilton, the Finn has contributed immensely over the last five years to the team.

Bottas had 10 Grand Prix wins, 20 poles, and 58 podium finishes with the outfit. However, he has to leave with an unfulfilled dream – a world championship. He made it clear at the very beginning that he was eyeing the world title and will fight for it. Notably, the 2019 F1 season was his best till now. He stood 2nd in the drivers’ standings with 326 points and four wins to his name.

Apart from all the success he has enjoyed with the team, Bottas still considers it a big failure that he could not win a world title.

Valtteri Bottas considers it a failure with Mercedes

Bottas replaced 2016 world champion, Nico Rosberg, in the Mercedes team. He immediately took charge and delivered staggering performances in the 2017 season with a 3rd place finish in the championship. However, his best season came in 2019 where he outperformed Hamilton on several occasions but still couldn’t manage to clinch the title.

In a recent interview, he reflected back on his time with the Silver Arrows and his disappointment over not winning a world title. “I certainly feel, at least in a certain sense, that I have failed. But looking back I think I have done everything I could,” said Bottas as reported by Formula Passion.

Positives with the Mercedes

Valtteri Bottas has extracted a lot of positives from his time at Mercedes as well. He will certainly use his valuable experience at the Sauber-led outfit that certainly needs a game-changer after back-to-back average seasons.

“This will be important going forward, thinking about the constructors’ titles we have won together, the huge amount of points scored. We have been excellent teammates with Hamilton. I got some victories, I got a lot of poles, so I need to take these good things with me,” expressed the Finn.

“When I look back I think I have achieved something. Maybe not yet that great gold cup that I told myself I would win when I was six, but still something,” said the 10 Grand Prix winner, as reported Formula Passion.

With the Finn about to start a new chapter in his career, tell us your favorite Valtteri Bottas moments.

Read More- WATCH: Emotions Run High as Valtteri Bottas Leaves the Mercedes HQ One Last Time